Go Your Own Way
by EvelynMM
Summary: "Conventionality has never applied to us before - why start now?" Present Time. Brian, Justin, and Daphne make a decision for their future that is anything but conventional.
1. Chapter 1

"Come on Daph…can you just stop pacing and sit down? You're going to walk a path in to the carpet." Justin sighed, running the palm of his hand over his face in an attempt to rub the sleep away. Sitting in the sterile doctor's office; his best friend was a nervous wreck and he had to admit he was just as worried about the impending results they would soon receive once the doctor arrived.

Justin hadn't slept well the night before as he tossed and turned in what felt like the most highly uncomfortable hotel bed ever. It was, of course a very lovely bed in what was the nicest hotel in Allentown, thanks to Brian's insistence when they had booked the rooms for this very purpose a week ago. His mind, however, kept warring back and forth with itself to the point where he had finally given up on sleeping and did what he always did when he was worried; he pulled out his sketch pad from his suitcase and tried to shut his mind down as his hand flew over the paper.

It helped…if only a little.

Now, as he watched his best friend twist the hem of her shirt between her fingers, he grabbed her arm to stop her. "I'm sure everything is going to be fine."

"But what if it's not? What if the tests come back and there is something wrong. What if…"

"Then we will find out what the best course of action is and go from there." Justin said, his hand rubbing what he hoped to be soothing circles over the tiny hands he held within his.

"Right." Finally agreeing to take the seat beside him, it was only a small victory as she sat down on the edge of the padded chair, her legs bouncing nervously in front of her.

Daphne's grasp tightened on Justin's hand when a slight click could be heard and the door swung open; a short, rounded, middle-aged man in a white coat walked purposefully in to the room and sat behind the desk, flanked with diplomas and other forms of certification framed prominently on the wall behind him.

Everything about the man screamed professionalism and proficiency, but it was his kind, soft eyes that allowed Justin to relax just a little bit. "Hello, Ms. Chanders. It is nice to meet you. You must be Mr. Kinney? My name is Dr. Anthony."

Sitting up straight, Justin pulled his right hand from Daphne's grip as he extended it towards the doctor. "Yes, Justin Kinney, it is nice to meet you Mr. Anthony."

The doctor smiled warmly as he looked from the nervous young woman to her equally nervous male companion.

"Let's get down to business, shall we?" Opening the file he had brought in with him, he spread the various papers in front of him before he picked up the one furthest to the right.

Daphne tensed automatically, preparing herself for whatever would be said next as Justin reached out for her hand once more. Grasping it in the space between their chairs, Daphne looked over to Justin before nodding her head for the doctor to continue.

"I've received your test results from your preferred clinic in Pittsburgh, Ms. Chanders. Your levels are right on track and since we specialize in this particular procedure, I have every confidence that the extraction will go as planned with little to no complications."

Relief washed over Justin as he turned to Daphne, her face scrunched in confusion before her expression softened as she turned to her best friend. "So does that mean…?"

"I think it does, Daph!" Keeping their emotions in check for the time being, they both turned back to the doctor for confirmation.

A light knock sounded on the door before the doctor could continue as all three sets of eyes turned toward the tall brunette who ventured assuredly in to the room. Quickly sitting in the only other available seat in the room, Brian took his spot beside Daphne as he extended his hand to the doctor. "Brian Kinney, sorry for the interruption but I just finished filling out all the paperwork and the nurses told me to come straight back."

Brian looked to Justin and Daphne as the doctor nodded his head in understanding. The mutual looks of relief and happiness on their faces offered him silent reassurance as he had spent the last half an hour filling out paperwork, all the while wondering what Daphne's results would be. Anything besides a positive outcome would have been devastating to both his husband and their friend.

To him as well.

"That's quite alright Mr. Kinney, I was actually just giving them the good news that all is well. We can begin tomorrow."

"How long will all of this take?" Justin asked, barely able to contain his smile.

"After the procedure tomorrow, we could know within a few weeks if we were successful or not."

"You mean, I could know within a month if I am pregnant or not?" Daphne exclaimed, her eyes widening in amazement. "I just figured this would all take a lot longer than that. I didn't find out I was pregnant with Suvi until I was almost two months."

"The process is already well underway, Ms. Chanders. The medication you have been taking, prescribed by your local clinic, is helping us to determine the best time for extraction, and it also helps your body produce multiple eggs in a single cycle. This is called Ovulation Induction, and your local clinic has been monitoring your egg development as well as your hormone levels, the results of which I have here in my hands. Everything looks perfect. I understand that you have traveled from across state, your hometown being Pittsburgh, is this correct?"

"Yes."

"The immediate timeline for the procedure is as follows, in case you need to work your schedules accordingly. Tomorrow we will retrieve the produced eggs in a process called Follicular Aspiration. This is considered a minor surgical procedure where we inject a hollow tube through your pelvic cavity, guided by ultrasound, to retrieve the eggs. We can also acquire the sperm samples on the same day at which point we will begin the process of Insemination. Before I go any further, I want to make sure I have everything clear as far as the specific requests you have. Normally, I would receive a sperm sample from one of you to be fertilized with the egg, but as I understand, you both wish to provide a sample?" The doctor asked as he looked up from the paperwork in his hand.

Even though his expression had not changed in regards to the unusual request, Justin still felt his cheeks heating up.

Brian looked to Justin, almost laughing at his husband's sudden shyness before he ventured forward. "Here's what we decided, doc. We want to put in two fertilized eggs, one with my sperm and one with my husband's and let nature take its course. We couldn't agree on who should do the deed; I already have a son who is ten years old and would very much like for my husband to have the chance to have a child of his own but he feels we should both give it a shot, so to speak."

"This is a rather unconventional request and while this will be a first for us here at this clinic, I cannot say for a fact it has never been done before." Sifting through the papers in front of him, Dr. Anthony marked a few notes before turning his attention back to the small group in front of him.

"Conventionality has never applied to us before; why start now." Brian huffed, proudly.

"The procedure itself will work in the same capacity but I must caution you that I cannot guarantee that both embryos will take; unfortunately I cannot guarantee that even one will. This is when science must take a back seat and fate must take over."

"With all due respect, doc, we didn't just pick this clinic out of a hat. I had many people looking in to this particular procedure and which clinic was the best. Your clinic came up more than any other as right now I have been relegated to staying within the confines of the state," Brian mentioned as he looked over to Justin with a slight scowl, only to be met with a triumphant smile from the blonde. "We're aware that nothing is guaranteed but if this does not work, then I have every intention of then going to the best in the country."

"I understand your concerns, Mr. Kinney, but I feel I should inform you that, while we are the best in the state, we are also one of the top in the country as well. We currently have a 71% live birthrate which is nearly ten percent higher than our closest competitor within the state and if you would look at the statistics of other clinics around the country, you will find that there is only a slight increase in the percentage of live birthrates. Here at the Reproductive Medicine Associates of Pennsylvania, we purposefully take on fewer clients so that we can provide the most comprehensive care for our patients. Yes, we perform fewer procedures annually, but our success rate simply can't be beat. You are more than welcome to get second or third opinions, in fact I often encourage doing just that, but I am confident you will find we are the perfect fit for you and your future family."

"Excellent, doc. That is just what I wanted to hear." With a firm nod of his head, Brian sat back in his chair with a satisfied grin. Justin recognized the look in Brian's eyes. It was the same look he got when he was working a campaign. He was in business mode; all facts and no emotions in his quest to the ultimate finish line.

"Very well," Dr. Anthony chuckled as he continued, "Once the samples have been collected, they will be placed, separately, in an incubator to be fertilized and monitored for cell division. Once the eggs have begun to divide it is then considered an embryo and will be transferred into the uterus within 2 to 3 days. This process will likely be finished within a week's time. As you have requested we will transfer a single fertilized egg from each of your sperm samples. Then you will be asked to rest as much as possible and be on the lookout for any signs of pregnancy, that of which will be discussed in greater length after the transfer takes place, but it is possible to know within a few weeks, if you are pregnant or not, since you will be actively looking for signs."

"What are the risks?" Brian asked pointedly.

"As I stated before, there is always the risk of the eggs not taking and simply passing out of the body. Women 35 years and younger have a success rate of approximately 30-35% of becoming pregnant. Of course it helps when the host does not smoke, do drugs of any kind, or drink caffeinated beverages such as coffee, soda or certain teas, and so on. As the chart indicates you appear to be very healthy Ms. Chanders, very good. But even then, the odds are less than half. I do not wish to discourage you; I simply want you to be aware of the realities involved here."

"Thanks, but I was referring to Daphne, what risks will she be facing?" Brian corrected simply.

"The risks associated with IVF are fairly minimal in most cases. Cramping may occur the day of egg retrieval, with other risks being anesthesia related as well as a risk of bleeding, infection around the injection site and possible damage to the bowels and the bladder. Once the embryos are transferred there is a risk of cramping as well, but the procedure is usually painless. The biggest risk actually lies in what we call Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome when the ovaries are being prepared for retrieval and run the risk of becoming swollen from over stimulation; which includes risks of nausea, vomiting, and/or a lack of appetite, but we are already past that mark at this point. All of these risks run very low and I can assure you that we have never had any major problems in the past."

"Thank you." Justin managed to say, wiping his clammy hands down the front of his jeans as he tried to process the long list of risks that had just been presented to them. Even at a low probability, it was still a lot to process…and a lot to ask of his closest friend.

He glanced over to Daphne who simply nodded her head and smiled back at him in reassurance.

True, they had done their homework long before they made their final decision to go forward with IVF, but this was a whole new beast.

"I appreciate how concerned you are for your friend, but I assure you that Ms. Chanders will be in the best hands possible and we will do everything in our power to make this as painless for her as possible."

Dr. Anthony stood up from his desk, holding his hands up when the others started to follow suit. "I have other matters to attend to but please feel free to take as much time as you need and if everything is still satisfactory when you are finished, please see my receptionist on your way out to confirm the time for the egg retrieval and sperm donation tomorrow."

With one last kind smile, the doctor quickly exited the room, leaving the three to their thoughts.

Justin was the first to speak as he turned to his friend. "Daph, are you sure you are willing to do this; to go through all of that just to help us out?"

"You make it sound like I'm giving up a Saturday night to help you study for a final. I am not just helping you out here. Of course I am sure, you heard him; the risks are minimal. Besides, just think…in a few weeks there could be a baby in here." Daphne beamed as she grabbed Justin's hand and put it to her flat stomach, her eyes round with excitement. Once again bouncing on the edge of her seat, Justin couldn't contain his laughter as he leaned forward to look to Brian, who sat silently in his seat, his eyes seemingly focused on nothing and everything all at once.

Daphne's face fell as she thought over Justin's words again, looking back to Brian, trying to gauge his current mood. "That is, if you guys still want to go through with this."

"Are you kidding me? I've never wanted anything more in my life?" Justin practically yelled as he looked to his best friend incredulously.

"Brian?" Daphne asked as both she and Justin looked to him cautiously.

Shaking his head as he pulled himself out of his thoughts, Brian smiled, biting his lower lip. Without a word he stood up, placed a kiss to the young woman's cheek, and extended his hand towards his husband. "Come on, young ones. We've got some babies to make tomorrow and we are going to need all the rest we can get!"

[o][o][o][o][o]

**I hope you enjoyed this, I am really excited about where this story will be going as I have much of it planned out and so many ideas swimming in my head. This story is actually a tie in to my other story "Vacation of a Lifetime" – VoaL is a sort of one shot, whereas this story started with a single idea for a continuing one shot from VoaL that has spawned in to an entire story that takes place before and after VoaL. And I am still working on that story as well, I just had to get this going because all the ideas for this story that I had were preventing me from working on VoaL!**

**I have to give a million thanks, kisses, and hugs to Nalana for her help with both stories and for never once telling me to shut the hell up when I couldn't stop talking about all my random ideas! This looks to be a decent length when all is said and done, but please let me know what you think. And feel free to ask any questions you might have; also don't hesitate to give any suggestions either. If things can be worked in to the plot, I am totally open for anything.**

**Evelyn**


	2. Chapter 2

"I can't believe we are actually here; we're actually doing this." Barely able to contain her shriek, Daphne glanced around the waiting room of the surprisingly stylish fertility clinic; her knees bouncing up and down excitedly.

"This is your last chance to back out." Justin laughed, knowing full and well the annoyed glance he would receive from his best friend.

"I'm in it to win it."

"Aren't you nervous, at all?" Justin questioned, surprised at how his best friend was holding up. He had imagined she would be a nervous wreck.

"More anxious than nervous, really. I'm just ready to get this over with so we can get the ball rolling."

"Did someone mention balls?" Brian asked loudly as he plopped down in one of the over-stuffed metal chairs closest to the two. Noticing the appalled looks being thrown his way from the other patients nearest them, Brian grinned triumphantly.

"Oh my god, what if both embryos take. Do you really think you guys can handle twins? I remember a time or two when Brian could barely settle Gus down. Multiply that by two." Remembering the many times when Brian had struggled with Gus all those years ago, Justin and Daphne tried to hide their laughter as they received a silent 'fuck you' from Brian.

"Shhh." Came the plea from a snobbish looking woman sitting a few seats down from Daphne.

Brian rolled his eyes in response, but Daphne acted to move towards the woman causing Justin to reach for her arm.

"Let it go, Daph. This actually stresses some people out. Not everyone can be as ready to go as you are." Justin smirked. Daphne was still turned away from him but he could practically feel the glare that Daphne was throwing to the offending couple.

"Fucking prude." Daphne mumbled as she turned her attention back to Justin.

Trying to divert the tension, Justin's eyes once again lit up. "That would be so cool if we ended up having twins. Wait, would they actually be twins?"

"They'd be half-brothers, for sure, but I am not sure about twins. Maybe not technically, but I think since they were 'conceived' at the same time and born at the same time, they might still be considered twins on some level. Ohhh what are we going to name them if they both make it?"

"No rhyming names, that's for sure."

"I vote for Thing 1 and Thing 2." Brian replied evenly, not lifting his gaze from the magazine he was reading. When his statement was met with silence, he glanced up to see Justin and Daphne staring at him with matching looks of amusement. "What? Would you prefer Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb?"

Justin went to speak, his mouth falling open before he chose instead to remain silent. He was relatively sure Brian wasn't serious.

"For Christ's sake, it was a joke."

From his position across from Justin and Daphne, Brian noticed how the couple who seemed to have the same stick up their ass from before, kept glancing suspiciously back and forth between them; as if they were trying to figure out the dynamic between the three adults. From the sour expression covering the woman's face, it was probably safe to assume that she had figured it out and the idea was not met with approval.

The fuck if he cared.

Brian looked pointedly to the woman as he smiled sweetly, noticing the way her hands fidgeted in her lap before she turned back to her husband.

Relieved that Justin and Daphne hadn't noticed the woman's increasingly obvious disapproval as they chatted animatedly, Brian returned to the magazine in his hands.

"Kinney and Chanders?" A nurse called from across the room.

"That would be us." Brian implored, standing up as Daphne jumped out of her chair, clapping her hands excitedly.

"Here we go." Justin breathed in heavily as he slid up to Brian, leaning in to his side as Brian wrapped his arm around the blonde's shoulder, placing a quick kiss to his temple.

"Ready Sunshine?"

Daphne walked quickly ahead of them and was standing with the nurse before Brian and Justin had moved a few feet from their seats. As they passed the couple, Brian again noted the disgusted look shadowing the woman's face; leaning down as they passed, Brian whispered. "Lock up your kids, the fags are procreating."

Silencing Justin's imminent questions with his lips, Brian reached down to pinch his husband's ass, reveling in the furious gasp that grew further away as they approached the awaiting nurse.

Daphne shook her head in amusement, having seen the exchange as the nurse struggled to maintain a straight face. "If you'll follow me, I will take you to an exam room where we will discuss what, exactly, will take place during today's procedure." The nurse rattled off as she opened one of the many doors situated down the long hallway, stepping aside as everyone filed in to the small room.

Daphne and Justin sat in the vinyl chairs while Brian opted to remain standing. "The embryologist will be in shortly, but there are a few questions I need to cover beforehand, but if you have any questions of your own, now is the time to ask. Once the process begins, it goes along rather quickly."

"Should one of us be with Daphne while they are doing the procedure?" Justin asked as he scooted up to the edge of his chair, his hands clasped together in his lap.

"That won't be necessary." The nurse smiled kindly at the worried expression that ghosted across the blonde's face. "The extraction itself will only take 15 minutes, besides, that will be when we ask you both to provide your sperm samples, as it is best to retrieve the egg and sperm samples at the same time."

"I'll be fine, Juss. Besides, this is when you two get to have some fun." Daphne exclaimed, a wicked grin curling the edges of her lips as she wiggled her eyebrows knowingly.

"I knew I tagged along on this little outing for something. Things just got a whole lot more interesting." Brian deadpanned from where he stood.

"Normally it would be perfectly acceptable for you both to…how should I put this…help in the process of the retrieval of the sperm. But since you are both giving samples, we will have to ask you to be in separate rooms to eliminate the chances of cross contamination, for purposes of which I am sure you understand." The nurse replied, biting her lip to keep from smiling as the brunette's face fell.

"And I was beginning to like you." Brian replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"We understand." Justin admonished, hooking his finger in the belt loop of Brian's dark slacks, tugging swiftly to get his attention. "He's just kidding."

"Says you!" Brian shot back.

Having seen her fair share of patients over the years, it was not hard for the nurse to pick up on the taller man's nervousness. It was in the way he leaned against the wall as if he was the only thing holding it up; it was in the rigid set of his shoulders. But most of all, it was in how hard he fought to not appear nervous at all.

"Okay boys, all you need to do at this point is provide your samples and then wait for Ms. Chanders to be brought to recovery after the procedure. Once the procedure is finished we will monitor her and wait for the anesthesia to wear off. She should be ready to leave about two hours after the procedure is over. We strongly recommend that someone remains with her for the next 24 hours on the off-chance any complications arise, and she is to not drive or operate any heavy machinery during this time as well." The nurse ticked off the list with the ease of a seasoned professional.

"Hear that Daphne, no tractor racing for you today." Brian exclaimed in a southern accent as Justin poked his finger in to the sensitive flesh of Brian's side where he knew he was the most ticklish, making the brunette jump. "What?"

"Be serious." Justin implored.

A knock sounded at the door as an older woman poked her head in before opening the door all the way. "Gentleman, if you will follow me, we can get your part of the process well underway." Holding her arms out in a gesture for them to follow, Justin stood up from his chair as Brian placed his hand at his back.

Bending down to quickly hug Daphne, Justin waited for Brian who offered a quick wink before they headed for the door.

"Give it your best shot." Both men rolled their eyes at Daphne's choice of words as they followed the nurse deeper into the hallway in the opposite direction from which they entered.

"According to the records you provided, Ms. Chanders, you've only had one other minor surgery before?"

"Yes, I had all my wisdom teeth removed a few years ago."

"Did you have any reaction to the anesthesia that you are aware of?" The nurse asked as she made random notes on the piece of paper that was attached to a clipboard.

"Nothing more than just feeling groggy for the rest of the day."

"Very good. The anesthesiologist, as well as the surgical nurse will ask you a few more questions to make sure all of our information is correct so there will be no surprises during the procedure. I will give a copy of all the post-op instructions as well as warning signs to look for, to the gentlemen who will be accompanying you when you leave today. The doctor will prescribe you some medication; an antibiotic to fight against infection, a hormonal supplement to help strengthen the endometrial lining of your uterus in preparation for the egg transfer, and finally a steroid for inflammation."

Daphne simply nodded her head as she listened intently to the nurse's instructions.

"Things you need to keep an eye out for over the next 24 hours is a temperature of 101 or above, abdominal pain or swelling, persistent nausea and/or vomiting, heavy vaginal bleeding, painful urination, and fainting or dizziness. These side effects are unlikely, but if any arise, please contact us and go to the nearest hospital to be monitored. As I mentioned, the procedure itself will only take 15 minutes, but recovery will last approximately 2 hours. That about does it for me, Ms. Chanders. Do you have any further questions before the surgical nurse and anesthesiologist takes over?"

"Will I be alone when I wake up? How does that work?"

"By the time you wake up, barring any…unforeseen mishaps…your companions from earlier will be with you. I will not be in the room the entire time, but chances are I'll also be there when you wake up. Please do not worry, Ms. Chanders, we do everything we can to make your visits here as comfortable and efficient as possible."

"Thank you."

Over the course of the next twenty minutes, Daphne answered a round of questions before she changed out of her clothes and in to a hospital gown. The same nurse from before helped secure the back of the gown as well as helping to tame Daphne's wild hair within what looked to be a blue shower cap. Lying down on to the bed, Daphne's nerves kicked in when they began to wheel her back towards the operating room. By the time they hooked up her IV and placed her legs in the stirrups she felt like her heart was in her throat.

The surgical nurse that she had talked to briefly patted her arm reassuringly as she gently placed the oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. All Daphne could see of the woman under the hair cap and surgical mask was her eyes that seemed to smile down softly at the young woman. "You're doing a beautiful thing, Ms. Chanders. Let us worry about everything else, you just relax and count backwards from 10."

With a forced nod of her head, Daphne started counting; trying to ignore the bitter taste on her tongue from whatever the mixture was that was pumping in to her mouth. "10…9…"

Everything went black.

[o][o][o][o][o]

"What were you thinking about when you were in there? This was far different from when I gave the goods up for Gus." Brian implored as he and Justin sat in the recovery room. Daphne had been brought back over 45 minutes earlier and seemed to be no closer to consciousness than when they wheeled her in.

"You! Who do you think?" Justin laughed; leaning as close to Brian as the single chairs they occupied would allow him. He had been surprised to find that working himself up adequately enough to provide his sample had been a lot less difficult in the sterile environment than he had thought it would be.

Then again, he had yet to find a place where this proved a problem when his thoughts naturally drifted to his husband; as they always seemed to do.

"What about you? Who were you thinking about?" Justin asked, running his finger lightly across Brian's jawline, then slowly down his neck.

A trail of goose bumps followed the path of his fingers as he grinned knowing that no matter how hard Brian often tried to control his responses to Justin's machinations, at times, his body often betrayed his thoughts.

"What a coincidence," Brian trailed off as he turned to ghost his lips over his husband's, waiting as Justin's tongue cautiously peeked out to wet his lips in anticipation, "I was thinking about me, too."

Pulling back slightly, Brian grinned when Justin huffed in protest. "Asshole!"

"You two get worse with age." Daphne mumbled as both men quickly looked to the semi-conscious woman.

Justin jumped up to stand beside the bed, grabbing Daphne's hand as he looked her over once again, making sure everything seemed to be in proper order.

"I prefer to think of us as a fine wine. Just gets better with age." Standing beside Justin, Brian, too, looked over their young friend. "Any pain?"

"Not really, just disoriented as fuck." Daphne groaned, gripping her head with her free hand as Justin occupied the other.

Brian nodded before he left the room to let the nurse know Daphne had woken up.

"So, how much did you hear?" Justin asked nervously as he bit his bottom lip.

"You two are insatiable. Only you guys could turn something so clinical in to some sort of erotic game. The fact that you both are hot saves you from a lot of grief from me." Daphne lamely attempted to smile just as Brian returned with the nurse following close behind.

"Everything looks good Ms. Chanders. We've been monitoring you since you came in to recovery and there haven't been any problems." The nurse smile a she removed the blood pressure cuff from Daphne's arm and the monitor from her index finger. "We'll keep you for another 30 minutes or so to come out of the anesthesia a little more and then you will be free to leave."

Looking to Justin and Brian, the nurse handed Justin a small stack of papers. "These are her Post-Operative Discharge Instructions as well as her prescriptions and information on the warning signs to look for to indicate anything may be wrong, at which point you are to take her directly to the hospital and contact us. We ask that she abstain from sexual intercourse for a week to reduce the risk of infection, but other than that, after the initial 24 hours, there aren't any further restrictions. There is a number on the papers that you may call tomorrow to talk to the embryologist and within two days they will be able to tell you if the eggs are properly fertilized or not. If everything goes without a hitch, we will call you in about five days to set up the date and time for the embryo transfer."

Justin nodded his head as the realities of the day were starting to fully sink in.

Daphne struggled to keep her mind focused on the nurse's words. She was glad that Justin and Brian were both with her because there would have been no way she would be able to remember all of this on her own.

"Are there any other questions?"

"I think we are all set." Justin nodded as he looked to Daphne and back to the nurse.

"Very good. Someone will be in shortly with Ms. Chanders' clothing and personal items; if neither of you are comfortable with helping her dress, I can come back to assist. Once she is dressed you will be free to leave at any time."

"Thank you." Brian said with a short nod from his position at the other side of the room.

"You're welcome. And in case I don't see you when you come back for the transfer; good luck!" The nurse winked as she softly shut the door. She decided she really liked this odd trio and hoped, more than she normally allowed herself to, that everything worked out for them in the future.


	3. Chapter 3

"Yahtzee, bitches!" Brian called out triumphantly. Justin and Daphne groaned in protest as the three lay sprawled out on the king size bed in Daphne's hotel room. The boys were taking the doctor's orders for Daphne to get as much rest as possible quite seriously; she had only been allowed out of bed twice so far to use the bathroom much to her chagrin. Justin had ordered room service to be delivered and they had pigged out greedily.

Brian, however, had run in to town with instructions to get enough board games and DVDs to occupy them for the next 24 hours. He had returned nearly two hours later, mumbling under his breath about women with coupons and kids with sticky fingers trying to touch his Armani pants. As Justin and Daphne settled in to a game of Life, Brian tackled Kinnetik business on his laptop, deciding not to return to the peaceful quiet of his and Justin's room; opting instead to spread out on the unclaimed couch. The young duo played nearly every game he had bought before imploring him to join them for a game of Yahtzee.

Daphne gathered the dice, throwing them in to the cup with a little more force than necessary as she scowled at the older man. "You bastard, you're cheating."

Releasing the dice out of their velvet prison, Daphne scrunched up her nose at the poor selection in front of her. How the hell had Brian managed to get two yahtzees when her best roll so far had been a somewhat decent 3 of a kind? Looking over to Justin's score sheet she realized he wasn't fairing any better than her.

"How the hell do you cheat at this game? Do you think I just happened to have a magnet handy that I placed underneath the bed spread and can somehow activate it only when it is my turn? Not to mention the fact that the dice are ivory and not metal. " Brian placed his hand on top of Daphne's head before ruffling her already unruly hair. "You're just a sore loser."

"Yeah, well it's better to be a sore loser than to have a sore…"

"And it's my turn now!" Justin cut in loudly as he snatched the cup out of Daphne's hand and scoped the dice up. The bickering continued back and forth for the rest of the game as Brian won the round readily and Justin suggested they close out the evening with a movie.

"What DVDs did you get?" Justin asked as he stretching to grab for the bag on the side table from where he laid sprawled out at the end of the bed.

"I hope they aren't all black and white…and please tell me there's someone other than James Dean in them?" Daphne scrunched her nose as Brian scoffed at the abhorrent suggestion.

"For your information, there isn't a single black and white, or James Dean movie in there. I went to the "horrible taste in cinema" section and found a couple movies I thought you would love." Brian grumbled as he opened his laptop to check once more if he had any new emails, before calling it a night.

Justin pulled the DVDs out of the plastic bag and began reading off the titles, "The Blind Side, The Goonies, Juno, The Notebook, and Rent. No way! Did you grab someone else's bag by mistake?" Justin asked as he flipped the DVDs over in his hands, staring at the cases as if they were in a foreign language.

In all honesty, Brian had heard the two giggling many times over the years about their favorite movies. It hadn't been hard to select a few he remembered above the others as being obnoxiously fawned over by the duo. "I just asked the guy working there what his girlfriend's favorite movies were and went from there."

Justin looked to the brunette suspiciously as Brian kept his eyes trained to the screen of his laptop; the sides of his mouth twitching just slightly to keep from grinning. This mysterious girlfriend either shared the same brain as his best friend and himself, or this was a typical case of cloak and dagger; Kinney-style.

Not giving the circumstance much thought, and deciding not to look a gift-horse in the mouth, Daphne chose instead to launch herself from under the covers, coming to rest just beside Brian. Refusing to deflect his attention, Daphne put both hands on either side of Brian's face, forcing him to look at her. "I thought for sure you were going to torture me, seeing as how I am on lockdown and completely at your mercy." Removing her hands from his face, Brian nodded his head in acknowledgement before he turned his attention back to the screen. Not allowing the opportunity to pass, Daphne leaned over, placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek, pulling away with an audible smack of her lips as she climbed back under the covers.

Justin laughed at his best friend's excitement; waving his hands to get her attention. "So what are we watching?"

The two looked at each other for a few seconds before they both grinned, replying loudly in unison, "The Notebook."

As Justin popped the DVD into the player, Daphne settled back into the headboard, pillows scattered all around as Brian clicked away on the laptop beside her. As the menu displayed, Justin turned the lamp off beside them, throwing a pillow in to Daphne's lap before he laid down.

Justin turned just enough to hook his foot around Brian's, the older man's furious typing stopping for a moment before resuming its pace.

Daphne grabbed the remote from the middle of the bed, pressing play, she leaned towards Brain so she was just at his ear, singing cheekily. "You so love me!"

Brian nearly cringed at the frightening familiarity of her statement. Sometimes he really did wonder if the two best friends shared the same brain.

As the movie started, neither Justin, not Daphne, noticed the smile tugging at the corner of the brunette's lips as he shut down his laptop and settled in for the duration.

[o][o][o][o][o]

"Uncle Bri, I have to pee!" Came the high-pitched screech from behind Brian.

Glancing in to the rear-view mirror, Brian winced as the toddler repeated her statement only louder this time, bopping up and down in her seat; either because of the song she was listening to or a full bladder, Brian surmised. Motioning to his own ears, Brian implored the girl to follow his directions, "Take the headphones off, Suvi."

The girl tugged at the headphones, trying to remove them from her ears but only managed to get tangled up in the cords.

Buying an SUV that was equipped with a TV/DVD player, last year, for the sole purpose of keeping the child entertained during long car rides, had seemed like such a good idea at the time. Now Brian was questioning that decision. How come the girl never got tangled when she was in the car with Justin or her mom? Was there something fundamentally missing from Brian's vast number of skills when it came to small children?

Leaving Daphne and Justin in Allentown after Daphne's 24 hour restrictions were up, Brian had gone back to Pittsburgh, alone, to spend the rest of the week catching up at Kinnetik and making sure Babylon was still standing. Debbie had been looking after Daphne's daughter while they were gone and refused to give the child up once Brian had returned. Not that he really fought the woman on the subject. Sure, he and Suvi were close…hell, he was one of her two surrogate father's in many ways, but it had been a long time since he had spent any considerable time alone with a 3 year old and to be honest; Suvi scared the shit out of him. She had picked up way too many of his habits over the years; such as a healthy portion of his attitude or his pension for sweet-talking his way out of anything. His frequent urging of her wild ways, to annoy her mom, had come back to bite him in the ass big time.

So Brian let Debbie keep the girl, leaving the boisterous redhead to spoil the girl more than she normally did; while Brian popped in when he could.

He hadn't planned on going back to Allentown until the night before the embryo transfer but everything at Kinnetik was running smoothly and he had managed, with Ted and Cynthia's help, to get everything caught up by Friday evening, leaving him with nothing to do and no one at home for the entire weekend.

Funny how before, that would have been his idea of a perfect weekend. No one to answer to, no one to nag him; a weekend open to debauchery and various shenanigans that would no doubt solidify his iconic status in the burgh.

But that was before. Brian often thought of his life in terms of two specific time frames; before that fateful night when his world was rocked, both literally and metaphorically, and after. Certainly not a conscious effort on his part, but he had long ago stopped denying, at least to himself, how that night changed in him something that had remained stagnant for years. His life slowly started to change the instant he, too, stepped under that lamppost and no amount of fighting and tantrums along the way could off-set the inevitable.

And that inevitable path led him here.

Justin had called to inform him that the embryologist had verified that the eggs had fertilized and were, in fact, dividing as they had hoped and they had scheduled the transfer for Wednesday morning.

Bolstered by his efficient staff, after all, he paid them handsomely so they damned well better be, along with the good news from the clinic, Brian decided he would press his luck even further and surprise the pair back in Allentown. Surprise them not only with his gorgeous face, but that of the equally gorgeous 3 year old who currently was fighting against the headphone cords that she had somehow managed to get caught under her arms.

"Stop struggling Suvi." Brian stated evenly, trying to calm the child as he checked to make sure she wasn't in danger of choking. The last thing he needed was trying to explain asphyxiation by headphones to her mother. Assured the child was clear of any immediate danger, Brian nearly thanked the heavens when he noticed a sign for a rest area that was located a few miles up the road. "I'm going to pull over in a few minutes and I will help you out, then you can go to the bathroom, okay?"

Pulling in to the designated drive, Brian parked and got out of the car. Noticing the few clusters of people who were walking pets and eating sandwiches, he grumbled under his breath, "fucking pedestrians" with a disapproving shake of his head.

Opening the door, Brian leaned over the small child, untangling her from the mess of cords she was entrapped by before he reached around to unbuckle her seatbelt. Lifting her out of the car, Brian walked them both to the small building, contemplating the two restroom entrances before him. Brian weighed his options. He very well couldn't send the girl in to the woman's restroom by herself, but he also knew he couldn't walk in with her without causing a stir. Opting out of either option, Brian looked down to the girl as she danced back and forth from foot to foot before he pulled her towards the men's room. Opening the door with a quick scan of the interior, Brian conceded that it could have been a lot worse.

Noticing a few guys spread out over the span of urinals, Brian cursed under his breath as he cupped his hand over the girl's eyes. "Uncle Bri, what are you doing?" His tiny companion questioned; her voice bouncing loudly off the walls.

"Just go with it Suvi." He begged as he walked steadily behind the girl.

One of the guys caught his eye in the mirror as he washed his hands and smirked when he looked down at the child in consternation. Brian bristled; his free hand balling in to a fist. "Is there a problem?" The guy shook his head as he turned to leave the small bathroom; the smirk still hitched to his lips.

What Brian wouldn't give to wipe that smirk off his ugly ass face right now?

Turning back to the little girl, Brian opened a few stall doors, relieved that most seemed to still be attached to the hinges. Wincing at a few of the toilets, Brian wondered if he would end up having to go in to the women's restroom after all, before he found a, somewhat clean, stall. Flushing the toilet with his foot for safe measure, Brian pulled out one of those weird seat covers that seemed to be made out of wax paper before he placed Suvi gently on top. Turning around to give her a little privacy and to collect his own thoughts, Brian wondered, for what seemed like the hundredth time today, why he ever thought it would be a good idea to go on a road trip with a child.

It was bad enough that time he had driven to New York with Michael, Emmett and Ted.

_Fucking Emmet!._

Why hadn't he thought to have Emmett come with him? He practically shared the mind of a 3 year old girl as it was, no doubt he talks the language of small children that just sounded so odd to Brian's ears.

_Better get used to it pal._ A voice reached in from the recesses of Brian's brain. That is what this whole trip was about after all.

Wasn't it?

Hearing the flush of the toilet, Brian spun around to see the small girl, her hair a mess of brown curls, staring up at him with what Brian could only figure were her father's green eyes; dressed and ready to go. Brian silently thanked her mother for the fact that she was able to accomplish this particular task on her own. Seeing that the bathroom had thankfully cleared out, Brian led the girl to the sink, propping her on his knee as they both washed their hands.

"Uncle Bri?"

"Yes?"

"I'm hungry, and thirsty." Grabbing the older man's hand in hers after they dried their hands, Suvi walked beside Brian as they left the restroom.

Cursing himself silently, Brian realized that he hadn't brought anything along for the ride to feed the child. He was so used to traveling alone that he hadn't given much thought to planning ahead as far as snacks were concerned.

As they walked back towards the car, Brian noticed a fleet of brightly lit vending machines. Reaching in to his pocket, he pulled out some dollar bills causing Suvi to starting jumping up and down excitedly. "Lead the way!" The girl pulled on his arm as she drug him towards the machines that her mother would never let her play with.

She knew there was a reason Uncle Bri was her favorite the little girl thought to herself, practically pushing her face up against the plastic that separated her from the chocolaty, sugary goodness mere inches away.

[o][o][o][o][o]

Justin and Daphne were lounging in Daphne's hotel room, exhausted after a day out seeing the many sights of the city. Ever since Brian had left, they had gone out every day, figuring if they kept busy enough, their minds wouldn't wander as much back to the people they loved back in Pittsburgh.

This was the first time Daphne had been away from her daughter for longer than an overnight visit with Debbie or Jennifer, and while she knew that the temporary separation would be worth it for what they were doing, it stung non-the-less.

Giggling as they recounted the moody group of teenagers they had encountered outside of what looked like a trendy jazz club, both jumped when an impatient knock sounded at the door. Justin slowly pulled himself off the bed as he looked to Daphne in confusion.

Halfway to the door, he heard a muffled plea. "Open the door! It' me."

"Brian?" Justin asked as he reached the door. "I thought you had a key? Wait a minute; I thought you weren't coming back until Tuesday night?" Grabbing for the door handle, Justin yanked it open quickly, not prepared for the sight that met him in return.

Brian stood in front of him; his clothes were rumpled from the long trip that included many potty breaks, fueled by sugar-heavy drinks and snacks. His arms were fumbling around the coloring books, games and the half-opened, Dora emblazoned backpack as Suvi sat perched on his shoulders, her hands buried deep in his disheveled hair. What looked to be chocolate icing was smeared all around her mouth as her shirt had failed to escape the mess as well.

Smiling hopelessly behind tired eyes, Brian sighed heavily. "Surprise!"

Daphne walked up behind Justin to see what was going on. When she noticed her daughter positioned atop Brian's shoulders she squealed in delight, nearly shoving Justin out of her way as she reached for the girl. "Hey baby, what are you doing here?"

"I foolishly thought driving across the state with a toddler was something that was even slightly within the realm of my competence." Brian allowed Justin to take the items from his arms before he reached up to pull the squirming child off his shoulders and handed her over to her mother. "Won't be making that mistake again.

Justin stared up at the taller man in, shocked; fairly certain he had never seen him more undone than he was right now. It was oddly sexy he realized with a raise of his eyebrow.

"How was the trip?" Daphne asked her daughter between bouts of kisses and hugs as the child became increasingly annoyed with her mother's coddling.

"Uncle Bri let me drink pop and eat candy bars." Suvi exclaimed excitedly, smiling proudly at the brunette before she level her expression on her mom. "How come you never let me drink pop and eat candy?"

"You want to know why?" Daphne asked as she bent down to her daughter's eye level. Pointing at Brian as if his appearance was proof enough, she replied to the girl, "that's why! Look at what you did to Uncle Bri! I'm afraid to ask what shape the cars in. Do I want to know?" Daphne asked as she looked first to her daughter and then to Brian.

Brian shook his head.

"How about we let Uncle Bri go get cleaned up, and give him a little time to recoup," Justin laughed, receiving a glare in return, "and then maybe we can go get some real food in your little belly, and maybe we can find a park around here before it gets dark."

"You all go on without me. I feel the walls closing in." Brian stated dramatically, reaching a hand blindly in front of himself. Grinning wickedly, he grabbed the hem of Justin's shirt as he tugged the blonde towards the door. "Come with me, kind sir. I believe I've got a few hard-to-reach places that you might be able to help me with."

Looking back to his friend, Justin smiled brightly as he considered the much-improved direction in which his day had turned. However, he was aware of how they often got carried away and easily lost track of time once the two got started. They had, after all, not seen each other for three days. "If we're not back in an hour…"

"Call room service! Put it on my tab!" Brian interjected over his shoulder just before the door closed behind the pair, thankful that their room was right across the hall as they started removing their shirts before Brian was finally able to open the door after a few failed attempts. It was quite hard, after all, to open a door when your hands are otherwise occupied in far more useful ways.

[o][o][o][o][o]

**A/N – Thanks so much to those who have been reading, reviewing, and setting up alerts for this story, it really means so much to me. This story will be a lot of fluff, banter, and fun times, but there will also be some angst coming up as well as further in to the story and more details on exactly what everyone is up to and how everyone fits together since this story takes place in present time, which is roughly 5 years after the finale, will surface in its own time. I promise I am not forgetting to explain things; it shall all be revealed, but please feel free to ask any questions you might have.**

**This story is completely dedicated to Nalana because she has put up with all my ramblings, has read and reread the chapters for me when I am feeling particularly negative, and she has been all around awesome! She is also the reason I even started watching QaF, so literally, without her this story would not exist, hehe!**

**I've tried to get a new chapter out every couple days or so, but **hint, hint** reviews makes my fingers type faster, haha! Shameless, I know, but I just love hearing what you guys think; good or bad – I am always up for constructive criticism because it really is the best way to learn and evolve as a writer! Hope you liked this chapter – FYI: I absolutely LOVE Suvi, and I am obsessed with writing for her and Brian. It's not a conscious thing but the plot-bunnies take over and I just can't stop.**

**Evelyn**


	4. Chapter 4

If Daphne's sheer giddiness leading up to this point, during the early stages of hopefully becoming pregnant, was any indication to go by, her current mood was leaving Justin more than a little worried. Gone was his excited, practically giddy best friend and in her place was a pale, fidgety young woman who sat quietly beside him in the same waiting room they had occupied a week earlier. Shooting nervous glances around the room, Daphne's hands were clasped tightly in her lap.

From his position between his best friend and his husband, Justin was dumbfounded by the about face he was witnessing. Turning towards Brian, he tilted his head in the girl's direction, his eyes growing large in concern when he caught Brian's attention. The older man simply shrugged; he had also noticed Daphne's odd shift in her mood when they had met in the hallway before heading off to the clinic, but he had wrote it off to probably missing Suvi or something. He hadn't seen Daphne since he came back, the night before, from taking her daughter back to Pittsburgh a few days earlier and sometimes he found it impossible to read her moods. As he usually did, he let it go. She would approach him if the need arose, for whatever reason, for him to become involved in whatever was bothering her.

Brian had made the arduous trip back to Pittsburgh Sunday evening after the group enjoyed a leisurely dinner at what he had been told was the best restaurant in town. Much to his relief Suvi had fallen asleep almost as soon as the engine came to life. What had been a nearly seven hour trip on the way up, was reduced to just over five hours back, with only one stop for gas as the child never stirred. Cradling her small frame against his chest, Brian had carried her in to Debbie's house and up the stairs, laying her gently on Michael's old bed. Removing her shoes, Brian noted from having watched both Suvi and Gus sleep over the years, that moments like these were when you were most likely to be sucked back in to the baby game. If he remembered correctly, Justin had broached the subject of possibly having another baby one night after Gus had fallen asleep on the couch, curled up against Justin's side when he was visiting during Spring Break. That had been nearly two years ago.

_Smiling softly, he tucked a wild curl behind Suvi's ear before pulling himself off the bed; turning around, only to be met with the knowing smile he knew all too well._

"_Your secrets safe with me." Debbie whispered as she looked back to the sleeping child._

_Bending down to kiss the woman's cheek as he left the room, Brian relayed the plans for the rest of their stay and thanked the redhead again, making his way out the front door._

Bringing himself back to reality, Brian once again shrugged his shoulders as he looked briefly to Daphne, but before he and Justin could silently debate the issue any further, the door beside the reception desk opened .

"Chanders and Kinney."

Turning his entire body towards his friend once all three stood up, Justin searched her eyes as he noticed a marked note of relief flash momentarily across her features as he followed her line of sight to see the same nurse they had dealt with for the retrieval.

"Daph, are you ok?" Justin nearly begged, not being able to remain quiet any longer while his friend seemed to be at war with herself.

Nodding her head, Daphne walked to the nurse, noticeably slower in her approach than she had been the week before. Smiling warmly at the young group she had become fond of in their brief acquaintance, the nurse led the way down the same hallway and waited for them to enter the same exam room. The three took their same positions as before; the younger two in the chairs as the older man leaned against the wall beside the blonde. This time, she noted, the playful banter was gone, now to be replaced by identical looks of apprehension and anxiety.

"And how are we today? I see by my paperwork that everything went exceedingly well with the retrieval and fertilization which is excellent news." Attempting to ease some of the tension, the nurse quickly realized that small talk would not do the trick. The only thing that would help ease their collective fears was to get this over as quickly as possible. This step in the process was often the most stressful on the patients emotions; there was no turning back at this point, and the worst part of all, there were no guarantees.

"We're doing well." Was all she would get from the brunette after he waited for the others to speak first. Justin, however, was too focused on Daphne to hear the nurse's words and Daphne was too focused on her hands that had resumed their earlier position in her lap.

"We'll get started." The nurse assured in a soothing tone.

"The procedure today will again take approximately 15 minutes, but the recovery period is much shorter, usually about an hour. You will be awake during the procedure and you will actually get to watch the process as the Endocrinologist will use a trans-abdominal ultrasound machine to track his progress so the entire process will be on the monitor if you would like to watch."

Daphne shook her head in acknowledgement as she started to squirm in her seat. This was a familiar sight for the nurse, "Did you make sure to drink lots of fluids before coming in, Ms. Chanders?"

"I feel like I'm about to bust." Daphne sighed apologetically.

"That is normal. It is unfortunate that you must be so uncomfortable for this part, but we get the best picture quality with the ultrasound machine if your bladder is full. Luckily, as I mentioned before, the procedure is short and I will try not to keep you long. I just need to go over a little bit of info and then we will hurry this along."

"Once you are in recovery, I will give you your Post Transfer Instructions along with what you can expect in the coming days and weeks, the restrictions that are placed on you over the next 48 hours as well as the early pregnancy signs you should start looking for in as early as 2 weeks."

"This procedure is pretty straight forward; once the eggs are transferred, you will need to remain laying flat for about an hour in recovery, afterwards you are free to go. The next 2 weeks will likely feel like the longest and most stressful of your life. In 14 days you can take a pregnancy test, but don't be discouraged if the first one comes back negative. I usually advise patients to take a test once a day for a couple days. If you test positive we will schedule a pregnancy test with your local clinic and then you will have your first ultrasound, back here, 2 weeks after the positive test. At that point we will be able to detect a heartbeat and see if one or both eggs survived. Two weeks after that you will have another ultrasound but that one can be administered in your hometown. If the pregnancy tests continue to read negative than we will schedule another appointment to discuss what options you feel comfortable with if you decide to continue on. I know this is a lot of information all at once but it will all be on the papers I give you before you leave today. Do you have any other questions?" The nurse asked as she looked between the woman and both men.

Once again, the brunette was the first to speak. "We were planning on traveling back to Pittsburgh as soon as possible; will Daphne be under any traveling restrictions?"

"The first 48 hours are the hardest. No heavy lifting, strenuous exercise or activity, no baths or swimming, and of course no consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, or drug. To better answer your question, though Mr. Kinney; there are no restrictions on travel."

Brian shook his head as if his first statement hadn't been clear. "We're talking 5 hours of driving, and that's without traffic. You're sure it won't hurt her or be uncomfortable?"

The nurse smiled at the concern that shone clearly in the old man's eyes. "Everything should be fine. Rest is warranted when the body calls for it, but studies have shown that long periods of rest after egg transfers have no bearing on success or failure."

Brian nodded his head.

"If that is all, we can get started. Ms. Chanders, are you ready?" The nurse asked as she stood up.

Daphne's eyes grew large, "Can Justin come with me? Is that allowed?" Looking back and forth, almost frantically, between the nurse and her best friend, she nearly pleaded with the blonde to go with her. Last time she had foolishly thought that she could keep her nerves at bay; which had proven to be a total failure. Today was simply different.

"Of course. You both can follow me and we'll get you in the room, dressed and on the table; I'll have to ask you to wear a sterilized cap and gown, sir." The nurse informed Justin as he nodded quickly. " I'll bring you in the room once she is settle in and you can remain by her head, behind the cloth divider for the procedure. The monitor will be placed where you both can see it." Opening the door, the nurse was relieved when she noticed the woman relaxing immediately when the blonde took her hand and gently pulled her up beside him.

Daphne glanced apologetically to Brian. "You've got the keys, so you can't leave." Her voice barely managed above a whisper, shaking noticeably, as she lamely tried to relieve some of the tension in the room.

"I'll be the best looking guy in recovery. You won't miss me." Brian stated evenly.

"As soon as I get them settled in, I will send a nurse to take you to the room she will be placed in afterwards, Mr. Kinney."

"No need to rush. I've got instructional poster here to teach me a thing or two. One can never be too experienced, after all." Brian responded dryly as he tapped his knuckle against the brightly colored poster beside his head.

As the others left the room, Brian threw one last teasing statement towards their retreating backs. "Sunshine, try not to pass out."

As instructed, the nurse took Daphne in to a larger exam room while Justin waited nervously in the hallway. Nearly ten minutes later the nurse reemerged, covered head to toe in pink, with a pile of some kind of odd blue cloth in her hands. "Let's get you into these so we can get you in there. While Ms. Chanders is handling this remarkably well, I think she really needs you this time. I think last week worked to scare all the confidence out of the poor girl" The nurse exclaimed apologetically as she helped Justin slip in to the gown and secure his hair under the cap as she apologized for the unflattering monstrosity that nearly swallowed him up.

He didn't care about the gown, though. He was more worried about the fact that Daphne HAD been nervous last week but had stubbornly refused to admit it. He should have realized and implored the staff to let him go back even if she had said it wasn't necessary. He suddenly felt sick to his stomach for not giving her emotions a second thought with everything else that had been racing through his head that day. Regardless of what was going on, Daphne's mental health was more important than anything else. He vowed to not make the same mistake twice.

"All set." The nurse broke through his thoughts as she led him in to the room; the two looking like walking sticks of puffy pink and blue cotton candy.

Justin spotted Daphne; quickly making his way to the chair that had been pushed beside her bed. Her legs were covered with layers of blue cloth similar to the gown he was wearing and a few nurses milled around the room as they gathered the required instruments.

"Sorry I had you come back here. I know you would have rather passed the time with Brian." Daphne laughed nervously as her hands gripped his tightly. At that moment, Justin knew Daphne was nervous. She hadn't said anything, or made one snide remark about the gown he had been force to wear. Normally, she would have never let this opportunity go unnoticed.

"Are you kidding? If I was with him right now all I would be hearing was how much he hated the smell of doctors' offices and how the medical profession is designed to capitalize on people's weaknesses in order to pilfer millions of dollars from patients…or something like that. You saved me from having to convincingly act like I agree with him to make him feel better. He's probably sitting in the room mumbling to himself as we speak." Justin grinned widely in an attempt to make Daphne laugh, at least a little.

He was rewarded with a small smile.

_Better than nothing._

"Daph are you sure everything is ok? You've been acting really strange all day and if you are having second thoughts, I don't want you to go through with this because you think it's too late or if you've changed your mind? We can find another way if this is too much for you." Justin leaned closer to his best friend, trying to maintain a little privacy among the others in the room. This was not the ideal place to be having this conversation, but under the circumstances he needed Daphne to know that she had an out if she needed it.

"No, Justin, that's not it…" She started to explain but Justin stopped her.

"This is when it gets real, Daph, and I can't let this go on if you think this is something you will regret in the future. I know we've discussed what this means for all of us, and we've drawn up papers, but I swear, I will burn every copy if going through with this will, I don't know, make you resent me, or Brian, in the future, or cause you too much pain. You know we would never keep you from the baby, right? You will be just as big a part of the lives of any children Brian and I have; just like we are with Suvi. I know it's weird, and a lot of people don't understand it, but it works for us." Justin rambled so quickly, Daphne worried that he would run out of oxygen if he didn't take a breath.

Reaching up to physically stop him from talking, Daphne hoped her next words would assure her best friend that his fears were unwarranted. "Justin, if I thought I couldn't handle this, I never would have agreed because I know how much this means to you, and to Brian. I know it seems like I've just been going with the flow, but I've thought about this so much, especially all those months ago when you first brought it up. I knew that if I decided to do this, it was all or nothing. I couldn't back out, and that is not what I want to do at all."

Justin sighed in both relief and frustration. "Then what's wrong?" He implored, his eyes growing large.

"This morning when I was taking a shower and drinking what felt like the fiftieth glass of water, it just hit me that in two weeks' time I could be pregnant, well technically I could be pregnant today, but you know what I mean. Anyways, then it hit me that I might not be pregnant, or that only one of the babies might make it. You were there, well kind of; my last pregnancy was not planned. What if something is wrong with me and my body rejects the eggs? You and Brian are putting all your eggs into one basket, so to speak, and it's not like this is something you can throw a switch on or off to make happen. I just don't want to get everyone's hopes up only for nothing to happen." Daphne exclaimed as she angrily swiped at the wetness that was pooling in her eyes.

"Daph, do you think we would blame you if this didn't work?" Justin asked, his brow furrowing together.

Daphne shrugged, turning her head to look away from her best friend's intense gaze.

"You heard the doctor when he told us the statistics – less than half, actually more like one-third of in-vitro cases result in pregnancy. Regardless, we would never blame you; you want this just as much as we do." Distracted momentarily when the Endocrinologist entered the room, Justin tightened his grip on Daphne's hand. Brushing away the few stray tears that had escaped, Justin smiled down at his best friend. "I want you to stop worrying. If this doesn't work we will go from there, but I have a good feeling about this."

"You do?"

"Yep." Justin smiled brightly with a quick nod of his head.

"Ok."

"Good afternoon Ms. Chanders. Mr. Kinney, I presume?" The doctor asked, his voice muffled by the mask covering his mouth and nose.

"Justin."

"Everything is ready on my end; shall we proceed?" The corner of his eyes crinkled, the only sign of the hidden smile behind the fabric; his warm voice working to sooth the anxiety he could feel coming from the young duo.

Daphne looked over to Justin and grabbed both his hands in hers; nodding her head with more enthusiasm than he had seen all day.

"Excellent. Can you both see the monitor from where you are sitting? We can move it if you'd like." The doctor asked.

"No, we can see it."

"Ok, Chrissy, here, is going to run the ultrasound machine while I transfer the eggs." The doctor informed them as he pointed to the nurse they had been dealing with almost exclusively since they had first come to the clinic. Daphne relaxed, somewhat; she really liked the nurse. "We should be done in about 15 minutes and then you will be on to recovery. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good." Her voice was still somewhat shaky, but much improved from earlier.

"You know what would make this little movie even better?" Justin asked, a wicked grin forming at the corner of his mouth. Daphne shook her head. "Popcorn!"

"Asshole!" Daphne mumbled, wanting to slug her friend in the arm though she knew she had to remain still.

"This will be cold at first." Chrissy stated apologetically as she squirted a generous amount of the green gel on Daphne's exposed abdomen.

"Whoa!" Daphne sucked in, her body tensing up before it relaxed again.

"Easy there Blossom!" Justin laughed as he watched the nurse glide the bulky wand around on Daphne's stomach.

"You nerd! Right show, wrong character." Daphne grinned as the image on the monitor became more focused. A black and white picture came to life on the screen.

"Ok, you might feel a little pressure as I insert the catheter, but it won't hurt but it will likely feel uncomfortable, but with any luck it will be over quickly. We just have to make sure we find the perfect spot for the eggs to hopefully implant themselves successfully." The doctor said from behind the wall of blue fabric surrounding Daphne's legs.

Daphne nodded as she locked eyes with Justin. A few moments later she laid her head back on the bed, her eyes clamped shut as she tightened her grip on Justin's hand.

"You ok?" Nodding her head, her eye lids fluttered open once her body adjusted.

"If you both will look at the monitor, you'll be able to watch the transfer."

Directing their eyes back to the black and white image, it was hard to make out exactly what they were looking at, but Justin could make out what looked like a long hollow stick that jumped in and out of focus with each movement of the wand.

"I found the location we need. Keep watching…" the doctor urged.

As the picture came in to focus once again, Justin's breath caught in his throat as he watched two round blobs tumble out of the opening of the tube. "There they are." He whispered as he leaned down towards Daphne; her arms encircled his in a fierce hug against her chest; nodding her head furiously. Justin found himself awkwardly positioned half on the bed beside Daphne as she stared at the monitor, her arms locked like a vice around his as he found himself unable to look away from the small screen in front of them.

Finally looking back towards Justin, Daphne smiled; her eye's a watery mirror to his own. "I've got a good feeling too."

[o][o][o][o][o]

**A/N – This chapter kind of took on a life of its own. I had originally planned on this part, the egg transfer, to be much shorter than it turned out to be, but the awesomeness of Daph and Justin just kind of took over. I hope you don't mind. This ends the majority of the medical/clinical aspect of the in-vitro process. For those who haven't much cared for this side of the story, I promise things will turn the corner after this. I just really wanted to make sure I got this as correct as possible and I did a lot of research for the information I needed. In-vitro isn't something that happens quickly or successfully for a lot of people, so I kind of wanted to make sure I did it justice where I could. Anyways, lots of fluff and angst coming up from this point on.**

**Also, I really want to thank everyone for the awesome reviews I've been getting and all the story/author alerts. Many of your questions will be answered in the coming chapters as to who Suvi's father is, when Justin came back from New York and when the boys got married, as well as what's up with Gus. All of this, plus a lot of other questions will be answered in the near future, so please don't hate me too much. I do have a method to my madness, I promise.**

**As always, feedback/reviews are so very much loved as they really do fuel me to get chapters out sooner. This chapter would have been out a day or two earlier, but some unexpected real-life shenanigans got in the way. The next chapter is outlined and simmering in my head, so hopefully it won't be long…reviews could ONLY help this process along *hint, hint***

**Everyone have an awesome and SAFE 4th of July!**

**Evelyn**

**PS: This chapter was supposed to be posted yesterday but FF wouldn't let me upload the chapter, so I had to wait until today. Sorry!**


	5. Chapter 5

"What the fuck is this?" Brian bellowed as he pulled further down the private road that led to Britin. "Deb said she would drop Suvi off, she never said anything about anyone else coming."

What they had expected to be one singular car parked in front of the large house had turned in to…6 cars, Brian counted quickly. Recognizing Emmett's brightly colored catering van, Brian groaned. "Shit, they are up to something."

"Maybe they just came out to get the house together since we've been gone so long?" Justin cautioned, though he knew that was not the case. Something was definitely up.

"They know we have a cleaning service that comes out every week. Those fuckers planned something, and Emmett is behind it all." Brian shook his head as he threw the car in to park.

"I wonder what it is?" Daphne covered her mouth, trying not to laugh at how bent out of shape Brian was getting.

"Only one way to find out." Justin ventured as he opened the door and jumped out, holding it open as Daphne slid out next to him. He had opted to sit in the back with Daphne for the ride back just to be on the safe side.

Brian stalked around the front of the car as the younger duo trailed his determined path. Reaching the door, Brian hissed when he realized the door was, in fact, unlocked. Journeying cautiously in to the foyer, the three jumped when a wave of noise assaulted their ears.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone jumped out of their respective hiding places, though Brian suspected they had caught them off-guard. Michael stood behind the couch, his hands full of streamers as Emmett tried to appear as if he always hung out on ladders in his spare time. Hanging above the entrance to the kitchen was a large sign that read "Happy Pre-Baby, Baby Shower" as the trio took in all the pink and blue storks, baby booties, and other various baby items that hung from every corner of the Great Room.

Emmett, still hanging midway down the ladder, had his arm wrapped around one of the legs as he clapped enthusiastically. "Emmett!" Brian huffed, his eyes flashing as he made a beeline for the unsuspecting man.

Seeing the look in Brian's eyes, Emmett climbed the ladder until he was perched precariously on top. "Now Brian, where is your party-boy spirit?" His voice squeaked noticeably.

Before Brian could reach the panicking queen, Ben flung his arm around his shoulders and steered him towards the kitchen and away from everyone else. Giving Emmett enough time to scatter down the ladder to find his place safely behind Drew; who seemed to be having a hard time containing his own laughter.

As Ben pulled Brian out of the room, everyone focused their attention back on Justin and Daphne. Shrugging their shoulders sheepishly, the duo smiled in unison as they took in their surroundings.

"What the fuck's going on, Ben?" Brian hissed as he wrenched the refrigerator door open and grabbed a beer, motioning the bottle towards the other man.

Ben knew Brian was mad when he used his name and not the standard 'professor' moniker Brian had been calling him for years. "No thank you. Look, I'm sorry about all of this, I tried to warn them that this would be the last thing you guys would want, but Debbie insisted we all celebrate, so she enlisted Emmett's help." Ben offered.

"But a pre-baby, baby shower? I mean, come on, we just did the transfer this morning." Brian refrained from hollering.

"I know, it's a bit…unbecoming…considering we don't even know if there WILL be a baby from all of this. But, you know, no matter what, their hearts are in the right place."

Brian sighed as he sunk down on to a kitchen stool and took a long swig of his beer. "I know, I know. It's just…I was hoping to NOT make a big deal out of this because the odds are not in our favor. I just don't want them to get their hopes up only to find out it didn't work."

"I understand, I tried to keep the lid on things when Mel was trying to get pregnant because I knew how nervous and excited Michael was. In the end, though, this party will not make anyone any more excited or hopeful than they already are. I'm not going to ask you to have fun, but just get through today and then everything will die down."

"Time for presents!" Emmett's voice carried towards the men, causing Brian to roll his eyes so hard it almost looked painful.

"I'm going to need more beer." He exclaimed as he drained the rest of the liquid down his throat.

"You and me both." Ben grinned as his hand came down on Brian's shoulder with a friendly squeeze. "We should probably head back in there."

"Sure we can't just sneak away for a while?" Brian pointed to the stairs that were nestled in the back corner of the kitchen.

"While tempting, I don't think it would be fair to desert Justin and Daphne like that." Brian reluctantly rose from the stool with a dramatic sigh. Grabbing one more beer from the fridge, he grudgingly followed Ben back out to their friends and family.

"Mommy!" Suvi yelled as she came running down the stairs, followed closely by Jennifer who was trying to still the excited child who had just awoken from her nap. Suvi launched herself a few steps from the landing as Brian intercepted the flying ball of energy that was heading straight for her mom. Suvi looked at him confused when she realized his arms were not her intended target.

"Mommy had to go to the doctors today, Suv. She's can't pick you up for a little while, ok. We have to be easy. No jumping off stairs or furniture." Brian admonished with a laugh as he placed the squirming child to the ground before she ran to wrap her arms around her mom's legs.

Emmett and Debbie played hostesses as they passed gifts to Daphne and Justin who were sitting awkwardly in the middle of the room. Justin tried to silently guilt Brian in to joining them but Brian shook his head, tipping the neck of his beer bottle towards the gifts and planting his feet firmly in to the thick carpet. Shaking his head in both amusement and disbelief, Justin wordlessly promised the brunette revenge in the very near future.

Brian would take whatever punishment the blonde doled out gratefully; there was no way in fuck he was getting in the middle of all those gifts and Debbie's incessant fawning.

Brian was still uneasy about the entire party. Sure, he didn't really like parties of this nature in general, regardless, but this was different. Not only were they not sure if Daphne would even become pregnant or not, everyone kept raving about them having twins. Everyone knew the way they decided to handle the insemination and that twins were a possibility, but what everyone else seemed to forget, and what Brian's mind screamed loudly was that there might not be twins. Hell there might not be a baby at all when all was said and done. And all of these gifts and this whole party would end up being a huge fucking neon sign of a reminder smacking them all in the face if everything didn't work out.

Food and cake were served as Emmett giddily organized a few games for their guests. Drew hung back near Brian, not really talking much, but keeping his distance from the commotion as his boyfriend spun around the room like a virtual ball of excitement. Ted and Blake won one game while Jennifer won another; the object of which Brian had no clue. Michael and Hunter fought over the music selection before Ben took over; while Debbie seemed incapable of shutting her mouth as she waxed poetically about having babies around once more, now that the other children were getting older. The far-off look in her eye, was nearly matched in intensity by Justin's, Brian noted with a heavy sigh.

As the sky grew dark outside, the excitement of the party seemed to die down as well. Suvi lay passed out in Daphne's lap as everyone pitched in to do a quick clean up before leaving.

Brian had other plans, however.

"Don't worry about the mess. I'll hire someone tomorrow to finish up. It's getting late and you guys have a little drive ahead of you. Go on." Brian motioned towards the door as he hurriedly corralled the confused visitors towards the door.

"Are you sure?" Emmett questioned in a horrified tone. "It won't take but an hour or so. Always comes down quicker than it went up." Stopping for a second to think about what he had just said, Emmett giggled before following Drew out the door.

"Absolutely. Drive safe." Brian yelled in to the darkness as everyone started piling in their respective cars.

"Call me if you need anything." Michael yelled back.

Brian nodded his acknowledgement.

"Call me when that stick turns blue…or pink…or whatever the fuck it does. Those little fuckers probably talk to you now." Debbie shouted from her own car as she followed Michael down the driveway.

Shutting the front door, Brian leaned his forehead on to the cool glass as he reveled in the silence that surrounded him. It literally felt like days had passed since they were at the clinic in Allentown. Not hours.

Smiling when he felt a pair of hands on his hips, he remained still as they ventured up his chest. Justin's warm breath tickled his neck as he rested his chin on the brunette's shoulder. "I can't believe you left us to fend for ourselves back there."

"When the vultures descend, it's every man for himself." Brian replied as he turned around, his arms coming up to wrest on Justin's shoulders. "Rule number one."

"Really?" Justin asked as he tucked himself in to Brian's side.

"Yep." Sighing heavily, Brian tugging the blonde along as the two made their way back towards the proverbial scene of the crime as Brian grimaced once more at the over the top decorations.

Daphne was curled up on the couch with Suvi; both were fast asleep.

Justin pulled away from Brian, leaning down to gently shake his friend's shoulders. "Daph, come on wake up. You'll be really sore tomorrow if you sleep on the couch all night."

Daphne stirred, pulling herself up quickly on to her elbow as she looked around at the now deserted room. "What did I miss?"

"Not much, just Brian kicking everyone out." Justin laughed.

Brian shrugged his shoulders.

"Ok, can one of you help me carry her to the cottage?" Daphne asked as she pushed a few stray curls behind her daughter's ear.

"No can do," Brian huffed out as a mirrored look of confusion crossed their faces. "You two can crash here for the next couple nights."

"Brian, the cottage is practically in the backyard. You should know, you're the one who built the damn thing. It's not that far." Daphne exclaimed as she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"The doctor said you couldn't lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for the next 48 hours. What if something happens with Suvi?"

"Then I will call you." Daphne stated defiantly as Brian reached down to pick up the sleeping child.

"You know you are not going to win." Brian stated simply as he shifted Suvi on to his shoulder. "You two go to the cottage and grab some stuff for the night or whatever and I will put Suvi in your old room. That bed is plenty big enough for the two of you and everything is still in there from before you moved to the cottage."

Too tired to argue, Daphne conceded. Weaving her arm through Justin's, she laid her head on his shoulder sleepily; her eyes heavy. "Walk with me."

As the two left the room, Brian made his way to the stairs, trying his best to ascend the steps as evenly as possible in fear of waking the small child. Reaching the first room on the right, Brian opened the door. Keeping the lights off as the hallway lights provided enough illumination for him to maneuver around, Brian pulled the covers back on the bed and laid the small child down. Once again, he removed her shoes and decided to leave the option of changing her in to her pajamas to Daphne.

It took only a couple minutes for the two to return.

Hugging his friend once more, Justin headed out of the room. "I'm turning everything off downstairs and locking up. Meet you back in the bedroom."

Brian nodded his head from where he sat perched on the side of the bed beside Suvi who was snoring softly. He watched as Daphne moved around the room with the ease of familiarity.

"Are you guys going to use this room for the nursery?" Daphne asked absentmindedly as she walked towards Brian with a tiny shirt in her hand. As gently as possible, she started removing the child's pink and white stripped tights and solid pink shirt before slipping the night shirt over her head. Brian marveled at the way she was able to accomplish that without waking the girl; years of practice, he figured.

"Nope. The nursery will be right across from our room, next to Gus and JRs room." Brian said in a matching hushed voice.

"What are you guys going to do with this room, then?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well I guess you could leave it as it is and just use it for a guest bedroom. I just figured you would do something with it since we've been in the cottage for a while now."

Picking up a framed picture of Daphne and Justin from prom night that still remained on the nightstand beside the bed, Brain smiled fondly at the image before he shrugged his shoulders. "If we really needed to, I guess we could use this as a guest bedroom, but this is your room; Suvi's too."

Daphne stopped and turned towards the brunette, her hands on her hips. "Brian, you took me in when I found out I was pregnant and almost had a nervous breakdown because I literally felt like I was drowning. You and Justin have pretty much helped me raise my daughter and to top it off, you had that beautiful little cottage built on the property for us. I think you can change the room to whatever the fuck you want." Daphne stopped herself from yelling as she looked down quickly to her still-sleeping daughter.

"Building the cottage was an investment on the property, If we ever sell this place, it would be worth more than what I paid for it." Brian rattled off the tried-and-true answer he had been giving since he brought up the idea in the first place.

Daphne had watched him wave off the act as a veritable business transaction for years, but she had known better. "Bullshit. First of all, you and I both know you will never sell this house and secondly, you built the cottage because I refused to let you help pay for a place to live once Suvi was born."

Brian shook his head. "That's not true."

_It was totally true._

"The only thing I could afford on my salary wasn't in a part of town you approved of, so you set out to fix the problem right quick." Daphne challenged.

"That's rich. The only thing in your price range was some shithole in the middle of crack town. Can you honestly tell me you would have rather lived there than in the cottage."

Brian nearly shuddered at the thought of Suvi growing up in the places they had visited in search of an apartment that Daphne could afford.

Daphne smiled warmly at Brian's seriousness. "I love that you are willing to do anything for me and my daughter, and I will never be able to repay you or thank you enough for everything you and Justin have done for us."

Even in the dark, Daphne couldn't mistake the twinkle in the brunette's eyes as he glanced down towards her stomach. "Well, I'd say we are about even."

"This is not my payback." Daphne stated softly. "And don't you even act like its nothing more than that to you, either."

Choosing not to respond to her statement, Brian pushed himself from where he had been leaning against the nightstand. On his way to the door, he stopped briefly to kiss Daphne's cheek; a barely audible "thank you" trailed his retreating form.

Joining Justin in their bedroom, Brian followed behind the blonde, completing his nightly routine of creams and expensive exfoliates before joining his husband in their bed. Justin was busily scribbling in his sketch book when Brian scooted towards him; resting his head on the blonde's shoulder to see what he was drawing.

"It's Daph."

"I can see that."

"Its from earlier today when they were doing the transfer. When they let us watch them transfer the eggs, it was unlike anything I can describe. The look on Daph's face was so open, I wanted to draw it right then and there. This is just a quick sketch, before I forget. I want to paint it eventually."

"As always, I'm sure it will be brilliant."

"Maybe we could get it framed, give it to her once it's finished? It's not for sale though."

"I didn't suppose it would be." Leaving Justin to his drawing, Brian scooted away enough so as to not be any hindrance to his husband's work, but he didn't move far

In the beginning, Brian was very much used to sleeping alone. Even those times when Justin had wormed his way in to his bed, instead of sleeping on the couch, or especially once he had moved in before prom; even sharing a bed then resulted in Brian waking up as close to the edge of the mattress as possible. It was as if his body reacted on its own when he was asleep, pushing away from the contact it was not used to receiving. Yet, as the years wore on, Brian found himself gravitating not away from, but towards Justin when they shared the same bed. What once would have been highly annoying, Brian oddly enough, didn't mind when he woke up to the blonde's leg draped lazily over his own. Little nuances such as these were the very details that both surprised the hell out of Brian, yet also comforted him in a way he never expected.

"Fuck." Justin whispered to himself as he shook his hand. He hated that after all the rehab he had completed, and the years of drawing and painting he had accomplished since the bashing; he still only managed to go 30 minutes before the cramping set in.

Reflexively, Brian reached for his hand and began to knead the tired muscles with his long, magic fingers as Justin placed the sketch pad and pencil on the night stand. Laying his head on the pillow beside Brian, Justin started to feel the effects of the day settling heavy on his chest. "That's it for me tonight."

Kissing the palm of his hand once more, Brian rose up on to his elbow.

"Good. Because…" he started as he leaned down; his lips finding the blonde's ear, "I sometimes have a queer feeling…" he chuckled, causing Justin to shiver when the warm air tickled his neck, "with regard to you, especially when you are near me, as now." murmuring against the pale skin, Brian's lips trailed a scorching path from Justin's ear to his eager lips. Recognized the words, Justin's muddled brain rendered him nearly incapable of intelligent comprehension. "It is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs," searching for air between kisses; the blazing trail of his mouth ventured down the other side of his neck, stopping at the sensitive spot below his collarbone as Justin's eyes flutter closed. Letting his head fall back to the pillow. "Tightly and inextricably knotted," Brian stopped just above his left breastbone, "to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame." Placing a tender kiss above his heart, Brian pulled himself up to look in to the piercing blue eyes that held his future so securely. "And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land come broad between us," running his fingers lightly through Justin's hair, Brian recited the last part so quietly, Justin could barely hear him over the blood that was pounding feverishly in his ears. "I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly."

Knowing this was one of the many ways in which Brian felt safest expressing his emotions, Justin knew better than to address the words head on. Instead, he chose to play along. "This better not be your way of telling me you have a bed-burning, maniacal wife hidden in the attic somewhere."

Brian grinned wickedly as his hand slid down the smooth skin of Justin's stomach. "Sorry to disappoint, but the only wife I've got is laying in this bed with me, my dear…"

Grabbing his hand before it ventured any lower, Justin warned. "Call me Jane and the only pulling that hand will be doing tonight is when you are setting up the pull-out bed downstairs."

Grinning wildly, Brian's eyes squinted from the smile that overtook him. "Wouldn't dream of it, Sunshine."

[o][o][o][o][o]

The next two week did, in fact, prove to be the longest two weeks of their lives. Everyone went back to their normal routines as they tried to occupy their thoughts with anything other than babies. Brian returned to Kinnetik and Justin returned to his art.

Daphne's initial dreams of becoming a doctor had morphed somewhat after she became pregnant as she realized she liked the idea of working around kids in some capacity as opposed to the endless grind of a doctors life. She wanted her life to revolve around her daughter, not a hospital. Upon completing the requirements in conjunction with the schooling she had already completed, Daphne took the head nurse job at the private school, the nonsectarian Wheeling Country Day School, that was located a couple miles from Britin.

Daphne had originally struggled with the decision to eventually let Suvi attend a private school after seeing firsthand what Justin had gone through at the private school they had attended. Yet upon visiting the school and discussing with them, in detail, their policy on gay issues within the school and its student's, many of her fears were put to rest. Explaining that her daughter had a rather large extended family consisting of both heterosexuals and homosexuals alike, Daphne had made it clear that any issues would be addressed accordingly, should they arise. Feeling confident, in the end, that not only was this a great career opportunity for her, but that this school would offer Suvi many of the advantages she hoped to provide for her daughter, Daphne had agreed on the spot to both the job and Suvi's eventual place within the institution.

With preschool still a year off, Justin had eagerly agreed to look after Suvi once Daphne started back to work. Setting up an area in his studio once she was old enough, Justin had spent many afternoons painting alongside the girl; her mini-easel and non-toxic paints kept her entertained for hours.

Now, as these two weeks seemed to drag at a snail's pace, Justin found his mind drifting more often than not. Attempting to shift his focus, he had taken to painting the little girls face and digging through her closet and drawers to dress her up as anything from a fairy princess to a safari lion as the two spent hours chasing each other through the house and around the back yard.

[o][o][o][o][o]

"Yes, Deb. I promise I will call as soon as we find out anything." Justin laughed in to the phone, rolling his eyes. Not understanding the concept of having to wait two weeks, Debbie had called once a day since they had returned from Allentown to see if anything had changed. "We love you too. Bye"

Justin returned the phone to its cradle, sitting back down to finish his lunch.

"Suvi, stop picking the vegetables out of the soup. You are supposed to eat them; they will make you big and strong." Daphne corrected her daughter as the small girl's fingers fished around in her soup.

Justin couldn't help but laugh at the girl. Just like her mother, Suvi hated to eat vegetables and whenever Justin made homemade soup for lunch, the girl's bowl often resembled that of her mother's; the lip around their soup bowls would be covered with tomatoes, carrots and peas that they had pushed aside in search of the meat and potatoes hidden in the dark broth.

"Is it really fair to make her eat her vegetables when you won't even eat…" Justin started as he looked to his friends bowl only to see it was empty; void of all contents, vegetables included. "Nevermind."

"Seconds." Daphne sang as she pushed away from the table to fill her bowl once more.

As his friend occupied herself with retrieving her second helping, Justin quickly slid his bowl over beside Suvi's and dumped all her discarded veggies in to his bowl. "Sshhh." He admonished when the girl started giggling

When Daphne returned to the table, Justin pulled his bowl back quickly, his voice raising. "Good job, Suvi. Look, she ate all her veggies just like you told her to."

Eyeing the two suspiciously, Daphne couldn't help but laugh when Suvi covered her mouth with her tiny hand in an attempt to stifle her giggling. "Sure she did."

When the child eventually settled down, her eyes lit up as she climbed up so she was standing on her chair, jutting her hands out towards her mother. "Look mommy." She cried out happily as she wiggled her fingers excitedly. Pink glittery nail polish adorned her tiny little nails.

"Very pretty, baby. I see Uncle Juss is getting better at that." Daphne grinned.

Justin blushed furiously. "Shut it!"

Returning her attention to her lunch, Daphne sighed heavily patting her full belly. "Man, I haven't eaten that many greens since I was pregnant with Suvi."

Laughing at his friend's overactive appetite, Justin picked up the empty dishes on the table and made his way to the sink, not noticing his friend becoming eerily quiet. Her eyes grew large as the color drained from her face; her spoon clattered in to the bowl, sending broth flying everywhere. "Oh my god!"

**A/N – I apologize for the longer than usual wait between chapters but with the holiday, plus I was decidedly under the weather for a few days, it was largely unavoidable. But in an attempt to make it up to anyone reading, I made this chapter longer – nearly 1500 words longer – than the other's have been so far. This chapter covered a bit of ground, but I also tried to answer a few questions that some have asked about Daphne/Suvi and their role in Brian and Justin's lives. I'm not giving all the details out at once, haha, but I hope this helped to explain some things you all might have been wondering about. Also, I tried to throw in more Brian/Justin, but please be patient; there will be lots more of them in the coming chapters! Reviews are loved and please keep asking questions…the ones I've been getting so far have really helped in shaping these last few chapters!**

**-Evelyn**


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh my god, Justin!" Daphne yelled at her best friend; who seemed to pick now as the best time to become ignorant to her rather obvious declaration. "Do you know what this means?"

"That I made some kickass soup?" Justin asked as he continued washing the dishes.

"Are you dense or are you screwing with me? I tell you the last time I ate vegetables like this was when I was pregnant with Suvi and you think it's because of your culinary skills?" Daphne threw her arms in the air.

Justin's submerged hands stilled as he slowly turned around; water and suds pouring down to the granite tile beneath his feet. "Daphne, what are you saying?" He nearly shrieked; his eyes growing wide.

Finally, he seemed to understand. "I'm saying I might not need to wait until tomorrow to take this damn test."

Justin held his hands out in front of him and took a few deep breaths. "Ok, we need to make sure we stay calm. Where are the pregnancy tests?" Suvi watched curiously from her seat at the table as Justin started pacing the perimeter of the kitchen.

Daphne shrugged. "I don't know, where did you put them after you bought them?"

"I didn't buy them, you did!" Justin countered in a rather high-pitched voice.

"I didn't buy them, I thought you did." Daphne's voice rose even louder.

Justin flailed as he tried to regain control. "Ok, ok, stop. Obviously neither of us bought the tests, and we sure as hell know Brian didn't. So that just means we need to run to the store and buy one."

"Ok, let's go." Daphne agreed as the two quickly exited the room and ran out the front door.

Seconds later, Daphne ran back in, her cheeks a dark shade of red. "Mommy is so sorry, baby." She cried as she scoped up the confused child and ran back out to the waiting car.

"I can't believe you forgot her." Justin laughed, shaking his head.

"It's not funny, asshole. Besides, you didn't remember either. I got so swept up in everything." Daphne explained as she buckled Suvi in to her booster seat before buckling herself in. "Go!"

The entire trip to the store felt like it took both days and seconds as Justin's mind raced with so many questions and thoughts he didn't even remember actually driving from point A to point B. Daphne quickly unfastened Suvi's restraints. Running in to the small store, Daphne quickly found the isle they were looking for as the duo gaped at the vast number of pregnancy tests laid out before them.

"Which one do we get?" Justin wondered quietly. "One of each?"

Daphne searched the boxes before pulling one from the rack. "This was the brand we used when I took the test for Suvi."

Justin grabbed a handful, shrugging his shoulders when Daphne stared at him in amusement. "What? I want to make sure, either way."

Rushing to the counter, the duo was out of breath by the time Justin threw the boxes on the counter. Daphne shifted Suvi to her other hip as Justin pulled out his wallet.

The cashier, a young college-aged, Gumby-looking guy smirked as he looked between the two and then to Suvi. "You'd think this was your first time at the rodeo?"

The pair laughed lamely to humor the guy, not wanting, nor caring, to explain their rather unique situation to the clueless man. Not bothering with pleasantries, Justin grabbed the proffered bag as they ran back out of the store.

The ride back was much the same, though Justin had made sure to pay closer attention to his driving. Yeah, he was excited and nervous beyond anything he had ever felt in his life, but he had Daphne and Suvi in the car with him. They all needed to get back home in one piece.

"Are you going to be able to pee enough for all those tests?" Justin laughed as he looked over to his best friend who sat beside him, her legs bouncing up and down wildly.

"I'm going to have to drink a lot of water when we get back to the house, that's for sure." Daphne explained as she looked back to Suvi who had mercifully decided now was the best time for her afternoon nap. "Thank God. At least she'll be out while I take the tests. I'm going to be enough of a nervous wreck as it is."

Once they reached the house, Justin tossed the keys to Daphne as she unlocked the front door and entered the security code. Justin gingerly extracted the sleeping child from her booster seat and entered the house; heading upstairs, he laid her down on his and Brian's bed.

Racing back to the kitchen, Justin found Daphne by the sink drinking a large glass of water. "How many of those have you drank?"

Daphne held up three fingers.

"Christ, when all of that hits, it's going to be like Niagara Falls."

Daphne flipped him off.

Ten minutes later, Daphne sat squirming on the corner of the bathroom counter as Justin read the directions aloud.

Twelve minutes later, Justin nervously waited outside the bathroom; pacing in front of the door.

Fifteen minutes later, Justin and Daphne lay on their backs on the bathroom floor with five tests spread out around them and a timer ticking away by their feet.

"What if it's positive?" Justin asked, not even attempting to hide the amazement in his voice.

"That would be so fucking awesome if it worked the first time out." Daphne smiled as she fidgeted with her fingers that lay restless over her stomach. Justin pushed himself up so he could get a clear view of Suvi still asleep in the large bed. She looked as big as a puppy in the middle of the oversized mattress. Laying back down, he blindly grabbed for Daphne's hand. "Two more minutes."

The pair fell silent, prepared to ride out the remaining time lost in their own thoughts.

When the timer finally sounded, they looked to each other once more before slowly sitting up, neither venturing to look at the test just yet as their eyes remained locked on each other.

"Ready?" Justin coaxed as Daphne nodded her head. They both looked to the floor.

1…2…3…4…5

"They're all positive." Justin whispered as he counted them all one more time.

"I think that's our answer." All the air seemed to leave Daphne at that moment.

"We did it." Justin pushed himself over so he could lean against the cabinets under the double sinks. His knees raised to his chest, his head in his hands. Daphne followed; her eyes large and unfocused.

"What do we do now?" Justin whispered once more as he looked to Daphne, whose only response was to shrug her shoulders. "You've done this before!"

"Not like this." She countered in a high-pitched voice.

Grabbing his best friend's hand once more, Justin breathed in deeply. "Ok, we are grown adults. Let's think about this logically. First we tell Brian. Then we need to call the clinic and set up the confirmation pregnancy test. Then we have to decide if we are going to tell everyone else or not. An ultrasound in two weeks. Then we have to start getting the nursery together. Oh my god, there is so much stuff we are going to need to get…" Justin rambled, his voice rising with each word that escaped his mouth.

Daphne was afraid she was going to have to slap her best friend.

First, she would try to simply shake some sense in to him. "Justin. Get a hold of yourself! We are literally at week two, we've got 38 more to go. Breath!"

Justin shook his head at his friend's rational words. "You're right. First we need to tell Brian. Should I call him on his cell, or wait until he gets home?"

Before Daphne could answer, they heard the distinct sound of a car door shutting. Jumping to their feet, they made sure Suvi was still asleep as they ran out of the room.

Brian knew the deadline had approached for their two week wait to find out if Daphne was, in fact, pregnant or not, so he had worked things around at the office to be able to leave earlier than normal. Knowing that they would be anxious to find out one way or the other, Brian had hoped to be there in case the results were not what they had hoped for. Justin had put on a brave front about his expectations, but Brian knew the man better than he knew himself. He was past the point of no return. A negative result would be devastating to both Justin and Daphne.

Walking slowly in to the foyer, Brian listened for any noise that would steer him in the right direction, only to be met, initially, with unusual silence. As he placed his briefcase on the leather couch in the great room, he could hear what he could only describe as a pack of wild dogs descending upon the room as first he saw two sets of feet plowing hurriedly down the stairs. Daphne was in the lead but Justin was close behind; the huge smiles on their faces let him know something was up. As Daphne ran towards him, her arms flew out on either side of her and Brian could distinctly make out the pregnancy test she was gripping in her right hand.

"We're pregnant," she screamed as she acted to throw her arms around Brian.

Dodging her advances, Brian ducked to the left and then quickly to the right as he hurried to distance himself from the flailing woman. "Don't touch me with that!" Brian huffed, pointing at the stick in her hand, as he deliberately stood so that Justin was perched between him and Daphne.

Justin laughed when Daphne realized what Brian was talking about and hid the test behind her back. "Did you hear what I said? We took 5 tests and they were all positive." Quickly running to the kitchen to throw the pregnancy test in the trash, Daphne hurried back out.

Justin was now giggling uncontrollably at the sour expression on Brian's face.

"Wash your hands before you touch me!" He warned. Daphne rolled her eyes.

Justin finally controlled himself enough to look to his husband, his eyes dancing with unhindered happiness. "Can you believe it? It actually worked. We're really going to have a baby."

Brian couldn't stay mad about the urine indiscretion when he saw the water pooling in the blonde's eyes. "That's pretty fucking fantastic, Sunshine." Brian relented as he wrapped his entire body around his husband's smaller frame, burying his head in the blonde's neck. His lips connected with the soft skin just behind his ear causing his breath to flutter. Pulling back to look in to his husband's expressive eyes, he cupped the side of his face; running his thumb along the defined contours of his cheek.

Giving the men a moment, Daphne started to walk away to go wash her hands as requested, but not before she threw over her shoulder, practically singing with delight. "Justin touched the tests too."

"Fuck!" She heard Brian growl out as Justin lost himself in another fit of giggles.

[o][o][o][o][o]

Over the next hour appointments were scheduled and ideas were hatched. They decided to hold off on telling the rest of the family until after the confirmation test at the clinic in two days, but knew they wouldn't be able to wait much longer after that.

"I already kind of know what I want to do for the nursery." Justin scrunched his face in response to the amused looks he was receiving from Daphne and Brian. "I want something clean and elegant."

Daphne threw a throw pillow at him. "Justin we don't even know the sex yet. That's like, at least 3 months away."

"I know, but I was thinking mint green and dark brown, then depending on the sex I can accent with either pink or blue, or both." Justin's eyes lit up. "I'm actually not even sure if we are going to find out the sex before or not. What do you think, Daph?"

"It's totally up to you guys." Daphne shrugged.

"Brian?"

Brian shifted his gaze from the mock-up boards he was looking over for an upcoming campaign. Narrowing his eyes, he studied the blonde for a moment; a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. "You want to know, don't you?"

"I really do. But if you want to wait, I'll wait to."

"Let's just take this as it comes, but if you want to know ahead of time, then we'll find out." Returning to the boards, Brian allowed the pair's excited chatter to fade in to the background.

Justin sat up straighter, leveling his eyes with his friend's "I want to get one of those baby name books."

"I know Brian will probably want to buy brand new furniture; top of the line of course." Daphne began as she twisted around towards the brunette. "Hey Brian, does Armani make maternity furniture?"

"Hilarious!" Brian rolled his eyes in response, his focus never leaving his work.

"Anyways," Daphne continued, "Suvi's crib and the rest of the set are still in great shape. It's yours if you want it. You guys paid for it anyways." Daphne laughed.

"That was your baby shower gift." Justin reminded her.

"Some gift. People usually give clothes and breast pumps at baby showers – not entire sets of expensive furniture."

"Yeah, well, you know Brian. Go big or go home." Justin smiled as he glanced once more to the brunette in question.

Before the duo could continue their conversation further, Suvi trudged down the stairs; rubbing her eyes. "Mommy, I'm hungry. I want ice cream."

Justin couldn't contain his laughter. If he didn't know any better, sometimes he would swear that child was his. Not awake more than 5 minutes and she's already contemplating her next meal; and junk food at that. Scooping the girl into his lap, he started tickling her sides as laughter filled the room. "I've taught you so well, Suv. I know; how about we go grab dinner and then we can go to the ice cream shop and you can get whatever you want?"

Suvi's eyes lit up as she clapped her hands together excitedly. The child really spent too much time around Emmett. "I want chocolate chip with hot fudge and sprinkles."

Daphne stood up to collect her daughter. "Let's go get ready than, love."

Suvi wiggled out of her mom's arms defiantly. Once on her feet, she planted her tiny hands on her hips as she looked back and forth between Daphne and Justin seriously. She then headed over to where Brian was standing by the dining room table; boards spread out in front of him. Tugging at his pants she motioned for him to pick her up.

Acquiescing to her wishes, Brian lifted the girl to his hip; taking in her solemn look. "What's up?"

"Mommy and Uncle Juss forgot me today. They left and then mommy ran back in, but I know they forgot me." Brian smirked at the child's indignation. It amused him that she wasn't upset so much as she was pissed off at the adult's imprudence.

"Is that so?" Brian asked dramatically as he turned towards the offending duo. Placing his free hand on his hip in the same fashion, Brian and Suvi's scrutiny was effectively making the pair squirm.

"Yes, they really did. Make them swear they won't do that again." Suvi implored the brunette; her accusing glare never faltering.

Brian shook his head in mock disgust, "For shame, you two. Forgetting this poor, defenseless child for…how long was it, Suvi?" Suvi shrugged her shoulder and held up two fingers. "Two whole minutes?"

"Defenseless my ass." Daphne muttered as she watched the two working their magic. Brian was Suvi's go-to guy when it came to anything she wanted…and anything she was less than pleased about. The brunette indulged the child's every whim as well as her every complaint. "It wasn't even two minutes, just long enough to get in the car and realize we were short one person." Placing the child back down to her feet, Brian grinned as she ran off, imploring her mother to hurry up so they could leave.

Justin stood up from his spot on the couch and made his way to his husband's side. "You coming with us?" Justin asked, threading his finger through the belt loop of Brian's slacks; maneuvering the brunette so that he was facing him.

"Sorry, Sunshine. Big pitch tomorrow and seeing as how we will soon be keeping the diaper companies in business, I need this campaign to be perfect." Brian teased, loving the way the blonde's eyes grew slightly larger with the added reminder of their impending arrival. He didn't, however, like the way his face fell slightly afterwards. Dropping his voice, he leveled with the blonde. "Seriously, while I would love to go with you guys, I have to make adjustments and call them in before 8pm tonight so they will be ready for the pitch in the morning. Plus, I want to call Gus and make sure we're still on for this summer. The Munchers better not flake out on me like they did last time he was supposed to come down."

Searching his husband's face, Justin realized that Brian likely needed some time alone with all the excitement from the day's news. He knew that talking to his son was a way that Brian kept himself grounded when he felt overwhelmed. "Tell Gus I said 'hi' and I love him." Rising up on his toes, Justin captured his lips for a quick kiss.

Brian pinched his ass when he walked away, causing the blonde to jump. "Go eat your ice cream and buy your books. Have fun." Justin smiled his smile as he walked out of the house to pull the car around to the cottage before heading in to town.

In the silence of the deserted house, Brian smiled softly to himself. Five tests couldn't be wrong. Soon they would get the confirmation they needed, yet Brian felt the heaviness in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't shake. They were nowhere near being out of the woods as far as all the possible things that could go wrong. Every scenario played over and over in his head as he tried to figure out a way to shield those he loved if the inevitable really were to happen. Would he be able to hold everyone together if the bottom fell from under them? The things they went through in the first five years were rocky to say the least. These last five years had been so peaceful and damn near perfect; which terrified the hell out of him. Surely there was a quota for happiness that resided within himself and once that quota was reached, the other shoe would no doubt fall.

Shaking his head, Brian retrieved his cell phone from his pocket and dialed the familiar number. "Hey dad." Gus's assured, yet bored voice came over the phone causing Brian to laugh.

"How did you know it was me?" Brian questioned the 10 year old.

"I didn't, just a guess."

"Well what if it had been Justin, what would you have said then?" Brian challenged.

"Probably the same thing." Gus deadpanned.

"Oh, right. Anyways, I just wanted to call to make sure we were still on for the summer."

"Yep." At that moment, Brian wondered what the hell had happened to the boy who used to talk his ear off until Linds sympathetically took charge of the phone whenever he called. That version was quickly being overtaken by the version he was currently conversing with, and Brian wasn't sure if he liked this or not.

"How's school going?" Brian asked out of obligation. "You're almost done for the year, right?"

"Two more months." Came his son's terse reply.

This summer could prove to be really interesting if this was any indication of how his son would act. Brian was at a loss for words, literally. Conversations with Gus usually never lacked an extreme need for his own input as the kid tended to talk enough for the both of them. "Ok, Sonnyboy. Is your mom around, can I talk to her?"

"She's right here."

"Ok, hey Justin said he loves you. I love you too."

"I love you guys too." Brian could hear the slight hitch in the boy's voice as he imagined the small smile that graced his young face. That was more like it. "Hey, dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Ummm, do you think you could stop calling me Sonnyboy, so much? At least like, in public? I'm too old for nicknames; I'm ten now!"

Proverbial fist, meet gut.

Brian felt all the air leave his lungs with that one statement of proclaimed maturity by his son. Was this just some really bad dream? This wasn't really happening. Surely, his playful and energetic Sonnyboy didn't just ask to be renounced of the one tie Brian had managed to keep intact all these years?

After a moment of silence, Brian could hear the phone shuffling and muffled voices before Lindsay's voice came over him. "Brian?"

"Lindsay, what the fuck is going on?" Brian huffed out angrily.

"What do you mean?" Lindsay asked worriedly.

"I can barely get a full fucking sentence out of my son and all of a sudden he's too old for nicknames?" Lindsay stifled the laugh that was threatening to escape, but Brian could hear her struggle. "What's so funny?" He demanded.

"Brian, surely you must recognize the gesture." Lindsay admonished, but when Brian didn't reply she pressed on. "Come on, he's acting more and more like you every day. The attitude, the short, clipped responses…he's becoming a virtual carbon copy of you and it's driving Mel insane."

Brian had to laugh at the thought. "That I would love to see."

"Now I'm hesitant to ask, but are we still on for the summer with Gus? Justin has all kinds of shit planned for when he's down here. It's like he reverts back to goddamn 17 years old when Gus is around." Brian laughed.

"Everything is all set. Is that all you wanted? We're about to sit down to dinner."

Brian took a deep breath before continuing, preparing himself. "Actually there is one more thing I wanted to tell you. We are holding off on telling everyone else for a few days, at least until we get the confirmation, but Daph took a pregnancy test today…well five to be exact, and they all came back positive."

Lindsay squealed in to the receiver before her voice dropped to a whisper. "Oh Brian that is wonderful. Can I tell Mel?"

"If you must, but don't say anything to anyone else if you happen to talk to anyone in the next few days."

Was it possible to hear someone smile? "Thanks for letting me know. With us all the way up here, it's easy to fall out of the loop of everything that is going on with everyone."

"I know, plus you went through this same thing so I knew you would understand what's going on." Brian relented.

"Absolutely, and tell Daph to call if she needs anything. You and Justin do the same, you hear? How is Justin, by the way? I bet he is ecstatic!"

Brian groaned. She didn't know the half of it. "He's already picked out paint colors."

Boisterous laughing assaulted his ears. "Oh no!"

"Yeah, so just keep your couch free for the next 9 months. I might just need a place to escape from these two. I can already tell they are going to drive me crazy with this."

Lindsay smiled knowingly. "Yeah right, don't even try to lie to me. You want this just as much or you would have never agreed to it…"

"I'll talk to you later, Linds. I love you." Brian said. Before Lindsay could rattle on further he closed the conversation and hung up the phone.


	7. Chapter 7

"Must we really tell everyone in person? All we really need to do is tell Loud-Mouth McGee and all of greater Pittsburgh will know within the hour." Brian groaned as he begrudgingly followed Justin, Daphne, and Suvi up the porch steps towards Debbie's shockingly red door. Why did it look a brighter shade every time he saw it?

"We all agreed that this was the best way. " Justin shook his head as he laced his fingers with Brian's.

"Correction: we didn't all agree…you caught me during a moment of weakness," Brian smirked in remembrance; whispering in the blonde's ear, "when you know I can't say no to you."

Justin smiled. He had accomplished many arduous tasks by implementing that very tactic.

"Regardless, we are already here, so no turning back." Justin knocked on the door before Brian could reply…or run. Justin smiled devilishly back at the brunette. Brian reached down and picked up Suvi, placing her on his hip. "What are you doing?" Justin laughed.

"Insurance." Brian nodded affirmatively. "Debbie won't smack or hug too hard if I am holding the child."

Justin rolled his eyes. Daphne, who had been looking around aimlessly as they waited, turned towards the men. "I'm so hungry!" She exclaimed with wide eyes.

Brian let out a deep laugh. "Your appetite rivals his now." he pointed to Justin, who replied only by sticking his tongue out in retaliation.

Moments later the door flung open. "Well, I'll be damned!" Debbie yelled as she enveloped Justin and then Daphne as she stepped aside so they could enter the house. "Sunshine, why didn't you tell me you guys were coming?"

"We wanted to surprise you." Justin smiled brightly.

Brian squeezed in beside the red head, just barely escaping her vice grip as she huffed in resignation.

"I hope I have enough food for everyone." Debbie worried as the group looked to the table. Emmett, Drew, Ted, Blake, Michael, Ben, and Hunter were all working to clean their plates as an entirely untouched pan of lasagna cooled in the middle of the table.

Brian smirked. "I don't think there will be any shortage of food. Though, between these two, you just never know." Brian motioned towards Justin and Daphne who had already pulled up chairs and were greedily digging in to the saucy creation. "Where's Horvath?

Debbie returned to her chair with an annoyed look on her face. "Got called in because some rookie got shot on his first day."

"What happened? Some cops never have to use their guns their entire career. Must have been something big going down?" Ted asked.

Debbie rolled her eyes. "The little shit shot his own foot because he got spooked when a car backfired during a routine traffic stop."

Everyone laughed.

Brian looked to Suvi who sat quietly perched on his hip, watching the adults excitedly. "Shall we?" He asked as he motioned to the group. Shaking her head impatiently, the small girl wiggled until Brian set her down and she took off towards the group.

"Emmy!" She squealed, launching herself on to Emmett lap before he had a chance to process what was going on.

Brian took the seat that Michael vacated when he started collecting dishes to wash, as he watched in horror as Justin and Daphne practically inhaled their food. Debbie prepared a smaller plate for Suvi and handed it to Emmett; Drew dug around in the utensil drawer before producing the small fork and spoon he had been searching for. "For you, my dear!"

"Thanks, Drewboy." Suvi smiled sweetly.

Drew winked causing the girl to giggle before turning her attention to her food.

Emmett leaned over to kiss his boyfriend appreciatively. "Why does she call you that? Don't get me wrong, it's cute as all get out; it's just…different."

Drew shrugged. "No clue. Maybe because my last name is Boyd?"

Speaking around his mouth full of food, Justin ventured in. "She also hears Brian call Gus, Sonnyboy. Maybe she thinks it's an actual name thing?"

"Remember when she used to call him 'Giant' for a while?" Ted asked as the group laughed loudly.

"I got her that book, My Friendly Giant, for Christmas a couple years back." Michael jumped in, glancing over to Drew. "I guess she thought you fit the bill."

Hunter spoke up. "Remember when we were all at that conference when Drew announced he was retiring last year? That reporter pissed you off and Suvi got upset because she thought they were being mean to you. She could barely form coherent sentences and yet she was yelling at the guy for hurting your feelings."

Drew ruffled Suvi's curls. "You've got my back, don't you, pal?" He asked; Suvi nodded her head as she shoveled more food in to her mouth.

Justin and Daphne went in for seconds as Debbie eyed the two in wonder. "What's with the urgent urgency? That food isn't going anywhere."

Brian grinned. "She's eating for two. I still don't know what the fuck his excuse has been all these years."

Debbie threw a roll at the brunette. "Language!"

Everyone stilled as they took in Brian's words; all eyes traveling to the pair who sat shoveling the food blissfully in to their mouths. Brian rolled his eyes as he waited for the onslaught.

3…2…1…

"What did you just say?" Debbie shouted as she pushed her chair away from the table.

Everyone's attention turned to Brian who flitted his hand towards Justin and Daphne. "Ask them."

Justin tried to swallow the food as he wiped at his mouth. Glaring over to his husband, he tried to explain. "That's not exactly how we had planned to tell you guys, but yes, Daph's pregnant."

Debbie and Emmett shrieked as everyone else offered congratulations and celebratory hugs.

"How long have you known?" Debbie admonished with a smack to the back of Brian's head.

"I knew I should have kept the kid with me." Brian grumbled.

"We took the initial test a little over a week ago, but got the confirmation test at the clinic a couple days later." Justin said as Daph nodded her head in agreement; one more fork full reaching her mouth before she sighed happily and pushed the plate away.

"So how far along are you?" Blake asked.

"Almost a month." Daphne smiled.

"Our first ultrasound is in a few days." Justin said.

"I'll never forget Mel's first ultrasound." Michael replied wistfully. "You'll get to hear the heartbeat."

"Or heartbeats." Justin's eyes lit up.

Brian closed his eyes, sighing. "The first ultrasound needs to be done at the clinic in Allentown on Saturday, so we'll have to make the trip back out. Deb can you watch Suvi? It will likely take all day to get there and back."

"No fair, Deb got her last time." Emmett interjected. "We are long overdue for some shopping, aren't we missy?"

Suvi's eyes lit up. If there was one thing she loved more than anything else, it was shopping and playing dress up.

As much as she hated it, Debbie relented. "Actually, I am working a double for Kiki on Saturday."

Daphne smiled at her daughter as she sat happily in Emmett's lap, playing with the rings on his fingers. "You sure you don't mind, Em?"

"Are you kidding, me and my little fashion maven will have a blast." Emmett exclaimed as he and the child clapped their hands enthusiastically.

"Well you just make sure you guys stop in for lunch, or else." Debbie warned, determined to get her fill of the all-too lovable child somehow.

"It's a date." Emmett declared with a nod of his head.

Debbie's eyes grew large as she made her way across the kitchen. "Speaking of Kiki, wait till I tell her about this."

As the redhead reached the phone, Brian leaned across the table to get his husband's attention. Satisfied with himself, he grinned widely as he pointed to Deb. "What did I tell you?"

[o][o][o][o][o]

"You know, after all the hit and miss attempts over the years to get away on vacation, you would think we would just damn well give up." Brian stated as he poured a shot of Beam in to one of the glasses on the liquor cabinet.

"We never did make it to Vermont…well, besides the wedding. I think you still owe me that week of snowboarding and fucking you promised me." Justin remarked, a playful grin encompassing his entire face.

"Or Ibiza." Brian pointed out.

"We never got a honeymoon either."

"Well, that's what happens when you elope with a day's notice over the weekend."

Justin nodded in concession.

Brian ambled towards the couch in his office, his eyes dark. "If I remember correctly, however, we spent that entire weekend in bed anyways."

Justin shrugged his shoulders when the brunette sat down. "I wanted to get away so bad, all those years ago, because I thought that was the only way I could get your undivided attention."

"And now?" Brian raised his eyebrow slightly.

"After ten years, that weekend I spent alone in Vermont is looking better and better." Justin bit his lip trying to suppress his smile.

Brian shoved the blonde away from him with a huff. "You little shit."

Scooting back towards his husband, Brian leaned away and Justin seized the opportunity to place a soft kiss on his neck. "You know you love me."

"You're fucking lucky I do." Brian tried his best to remain stern in his disposition.

Eventually giving in, the two settled in to a comfortable silence as they waited for their expected company to arrive.

"You sure you're ok with this?" Brian asked as he maneuvered his arm behind the blonde's head.

"I wouldn't have signed the papers if I wasn't." Justin smiled softly, leaning his head back on Brian's arm to take in his husband's calm exterior. Brian rested his free hand on Justin's thigh, pulling the blonde closer to capture his lips with his own. With everything going on lately, the two had found little time alone; a problem that Brian hoped to rectify sooner rather than later. Before they could get too involved, however, their visitors began to arrive.

The glass door to his office swung open as Daphne walked in; concern etched all over her face. "I dropped Suvi off with Em and Drew, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." Brian stated simply.

Daphne looked around exasperated. "You told me to drop Suvi off with Em and get down to the office right away. I thought something was wrong, you don't normally send such cryptic messages."

"Sorry for Brian's rather uncouth manners at times." Justin apologized. "Nothing is wrong, Daph. There are just some things we need to talk to you about and thought it might be easier if Suvi wasn't within earshot."

Ted and Cynthia entered the room after a brief knock on the door, followed closely by Ben. "Look who we found out in the hall." Ted motioned to Ben.

"Everyone is here." Brian stated as he stood up from his spot on the couch and walked over to his desk. Grabbing a folder, he motioned for Daphne to take his spot beside Justin and waited for the others to take their seats. Brian remained standing. "Let's get started."

Daphne turned to Justin. "What's going on?"

"I've got to say, I'm surprised to be here myself. At least, at the request that I specifically not bring Michael with me." Ben spoke up.

Justin laid a reassuring hand on Daphne's arm as he watched Brian. Emotions were checked at the door; he was in total business mode. "I've asked you all here because Justin and I have updated out Wills, as well as our Medical Proxies, and each of you will be directly affected so we wish to lay out the details so no one is caught off-guard in the event that these should become necessary."

Daphne's mind felt like it was melting. Brian was talking about Wills and medical proxies, and Justin didn't want Suvi to hear any of it? What did this mean…oh shit! "Brian is your cancer back?" Daphne yelled as she jumped up off the couch. "Are you dying?"

Brian was physically startled by her sudden outburst, but what alarmed him even more were the tears that pooled in her eyes almost instantly. He probably could have aproached this better. It was easy to see how she could make that leap given his past medical history.

"Daph, calm down." Brian eased, placing his hands on her shoulders and directing her back to the couch. "I got a clean bill of health at my last appointment. Despite some people's misgivings, it looks as though I will be around for a while."

"Then why the sudden need for all of this?" Daphne waved her hands towards the papers he had laid out on the table.

Justin realized he should have prepared his best friend before letting her walk in to this blindsided. He just hadn't realized she would react this emotionally. "With you being pregnant, we just wanted to make sure everything was in order. We hadn't updated anything since we got married and signed everything for the legal partnership, so this was long overdue." Justin reassured her.

"Ok." Daphne conceded; settling back in to the couch.

Brian continued. "It's all pretty straight forward and most is already notarized and filed, but there are a few things we need to get confirmation on before we can file. Obviously, if something should happen to either Justin or I individually, then the other would retain control of our combined estate and whatnot, but this is how things will work in the event something happens to both of us." Brian winked at the blonde when he noticed his hands shake slightly. Justin was better than he used to be at discussing issues such as these but he still had his moments of fear, as far as what their futures held.

"Daph, with your permission, we want to name you as guardian. Obviously, Gus would remain with Linds and Mel, but Justin and I feel you would be the best person for the job. Any children of ours will be close to you and Suvi, and in the event that this becomes necessary, the littlest amount of outside disruption would be most beneficial."

Daphne looked back and forth between Brian and Justin; not liking the nature of the conversation but understanding why it needed to be addressed. If something ever happened to Brian and Justin, she knew instinctively that she wouldn't be able to also handle losing their children in her life as well. Guiltily, she realized that she had yet to set up her own wishes as far as Suvi went, should something happen to her. "Of course."

Justin largely remained quiet. Supporting his best friend through a conversation he knew would prove stressful, and letting Brian take the reins. They had discussed the details of their wishes in depth prior to, so now he would simply support the two people who were closest to his heart.

"One more thing, Daph. Since you will be listed as guardian, we would also like to appoint you as the executor of our estate, which means you would have control of Britin; which means you and the children wouldn't have to move. This will also include any combined assets of mine and Justin's outside of our business ventures; all we ask is that everything be divided equally between the children; this obviously includes Gus and Suvi. We know we can trust you unequivocally to look out for the kids, and understand and abide by our wishes." Brian rattled off when he heard Daph gasp and knew what was coming.

"Brian…Justin…I know you both love Suvi but you don't have to…" Daphne started before Brian cut her off pointedly.

"That is nonnegotiable." Brian insisted. He let it all sink in before he continued. "Now can we list you as executor or would you feel more comfortable if we asked someone else? We know this is a lot to ask of you." Brian's eyes softened when he saw the pained look in the woman's eyes. He saw these issues as necessities to ensure his family was taken care of no matter what. He didn't allow his emotions to get in the way, but he realized, he often negated how it might affect others.

All Daphne could do was nod her head in agreement. Water pooled in her eyes, once more, as she looked to her lap to try to compose herself. Justin wound his arm behind her; pulling her in to his side with a gentle kiss to her temple. "Just let him do this for you and Suvi." He softly whispered.

Daphne nodded once more against his shoulder with a groan. "Fucking pregnancy hormones."

Brian grinned at Daphne's exasperation before continuing, focusing on the others who had been watching patiently. "Kinnetik will be divided evenly between Cynthia, Ted, and Daphne." Brian looked to Ted and Cynthia. "You two know this business as well as I do and I trust that you would continue in the same manner. Just remember," Brian grinned as he looked to Ted with a knowing grin, "always ask yourself, 'What Would Brian Kinney Do?' Daphne would be a silent partner on behalf of the kids. Is that clear?" Everyone nodded.

"Justin wishes to relinquish rights concerning his art to Jennifer on behalf of herself and Molly as we trust that she will divide any future earnings appropriately." Justin nodded.

Brian picked up a piece of paper. "Lastly, Babylon will be split between Ted, Michael, and Emmett."

"Brian, Kinnetik I barely understand you letting me have a part in, but Babylon too? That's…" Ted stuttered nervously before Brian silenced him. He really didn't want to go in to why he felt he needed to leave the club to his friends; they understood what Babylon meant, not only to him, but everyone on Liberty Avenue. He trusted they would handle it accordingly.

"Ted, every time I give you a project to complete, even when you don't think you can do it, what is it that you always tell me?" Brian asked.

"That I won't let you down?"

"See to it that you don't." Brian confirmed as he looked between Ted and Cynthia. "That is all I have for you two, you can go back to work now. Actually, it's close enough to lunch, go ahead and leave early. I'll get Malinda to man the front desk, and I am sure the numbers can wait, right Theodore?"

Ted stood up quickly and Brian braced himself as it looked like the man might actually try to hug him, but he must have thought better of it as he extended his hand instead. Brian accepted it. "Won't let you down, boss." Ted quickly left the office.

Cynthia walked towards Brian, a knowing smile spread across her face as she placed her hands on Brian's shoulders; leaning in towards him, she whispered. "I got it all under control."

"You always do." Brian replied in the same hushed voice, kissing her cheek before she too, left the office.

Turning towards Ben, Brian finally decided to sit down and took the seat closest to the couch. "I know you have to be to class soon, but there are just a few more things I wanted to talk to you about."

Ben's ears perked up curiously. "Go on."

"The reason I asked you not to bring Michael was because, like Emmett, they would have reduced themselves to sobbing heaps cluttering my floors and annoying the hell out of me at the first mention of the Will. So I thought it was best if they just remain blissfully unaware." Brian explained with a knowing grin.

"I can see the logic in that." Ben nodded. He loved his husband dearly, but when it concerned Brian and his health and future, Michael could get a bit emotional.

Emmett, on the other hand, was just a walking emotional contradiction some times.

"I've set aside something…special, for Deb, but we've also set aside a trust for JR." Brian started as Ben squirmed in his chair; he soldiered on. "We're not trying to step on anyone's toes, here, it's not anything substantial. But she is Gus's sister. She can use the money for college or a new car, or whatever she wants once she turns 18, but it is already set up." Brian declared.

Justin ventured in. "We love JR and she stays at the house sometimes when Gus visits. We just wanted to let you know because if something should happen to us, we know you will be the only one who could…how should I say this…talk Michael down from the ledge?" Justin scrunched his nose.

Ben couldn't help but laugh. "That is very generous of you two. I would argue that you don't need to do it, but I know that will make no difference once your mind is set. While I hope this never needs to be addressed, at least not before its naturally conceivable, I will do my best to explain it all to Michael if that time should come." Ben stood up and extended his hand to Brian.

Brian stood quickly. "There's one more thing, Professor. Many years ago, before you were ensconced in our eclectic little family, clean-as-a-whistle Blake put our boy Ted in a coma one night, at which point I found out that the bastard had listed me as his medical proxy. If he hadn't have woken up when he did, which was rather ironic timing, I would have eventually had to decide whether to pull the plug or not. I had no clue why he listed me, but he eventually explained that I was basically a heartless son of a bitch who wouldn't make the decision based on emotions. I would know when to pull the plug or not."

"I've heard the story." Ben laughed. "Though, not quite told like that, I must admit. What does this have to do with me?"

"Well…" Brian started as Justin stood up from beside Daphne to stand next to Brian. "…we want you to be our heartless bastard."

Justin rolled his eyes.

"I don't even know…" Ben started.

Justin jumped in. "We want you to be our medical proxy."

"Why me? What about Jennifer or Deb, or even Linds or Michael?" Ben questioned, his voice dropping low as he sat back down in his chair.

"That is not a decision a mother should have to make. Hell, a brother or sister, or best friend…they should not be left with that decision." Brian ran his fingers through his hair and leaned back in his chair.

Justin's hand rested on Brian's knee as he looked once again to Ben. "We think you would know what the best course of action would be. You wouldn't let your emotions lead the way and cloud your judgment. My mom and Debbie, even Linds and Michael, they would hold on even if there was no hope because they would fear letting us go."

Ben tried to wrap his head around everything. Never in a million years did he think he would be having this conversation. But he also respected the two men even more for not only being responsible with their future and that of their children and family, but they had the courage to ask him upfront and not just saddle him with the decision in the future. He sighed heavily. "Again, I hope it doesn't come down to it, but in a weird way it is an honor that you both would entrust me with that responsibility." Ben smiled wearily.

"You know this means you'll likely have to go up against Jennifer and Deb, right?" Brian warned, only half joking; a smile tugging at his lips.

Ben considered this for a moment and turned to Justin. "Your mom is a fair, loving woman. I think she'll eventually understand your decision. Debbie…well, I've personally dealt with Debbie in a similar situation, so I've seen her first hand. I can handle her."

Brian thought back to those horrible hours he had spent in the hospital after the bombing, not knowing whether his best friend would live or die. He also remembered how Ben had taken charge when it came to Debbie's severe emotionality. Brian couldn't remember a time he had respected Ben more, as when he had reprimanded Debbie's selfish worrying and effectively shut her up. Debbie had later realized just how right her son-in-law was.

"Many men have tried to tame the beast, but few have succeeded." Brian stated in mock solemnity.

Ben had regretted his outburst that night; being the type of person who squelched conflict before it climaxed, he had felt horrible for yelling at the frazzled mother.

To Brian, however; once the fear of the unknown had worn off and the dust settled, literally, Brian had greatly appreciated the balls it had taken for Ben to make that bold move. "Considering the situation, that was a fucking rare and brilliant moment when Debbie was rendered speechless."

Ben sighed heavily at the memory. Brian had regaled Justin with the story many times once it was clear that Michael would pull through, especially when the two would get high. It was one of the few instances when Brian Kinney would actually giggle.

Brian extended his hand to Ben. "Thanks."

Ben shook his hand and then Justin's, smiling brightly despite the nature of their meeting. "You're very welcome. Now if you will excuse me, I've got a room full of despondent students waiting for me to lecture them for the next two hours when they would rather be anywhere but in my classroom." With a final wave, Ben exited the office.

The two men breathed out heavily as they turned towards the couch.

Daphne had remained silent, contemplating many things that swirled in her head. She didn't notice, at first, when Brian and Justin sat down on either side of her. She also hadn't registered when the room had emptied of its other occupants.

"Daph, you ok?" Justin asked worriedly.

Daphne nodded.

Brian sighed as he laid his hand on her shoulder. "Probably should have told you ahead of time what was going on, huh? I didn't think it would be that big of a deal to you." The brunette shrugged hopelessly when Daphne turned to him suddenly.

Her eyes flashed at his incredulity. "A little warning would have been nice, yes. I thought you were dying or something, at first."

Brian shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Well just look at it this way. If I were dying, you would be that much closer to a hefty little payday." Brian attempted to joke, only to be met with two sets of very angry eyes.

"Ass-hole!" Daphne enunciated loudly as she jumped to her feet to stare down at the bewildered man. "Let's not even go in to how much it would hurt me if something happened to you, but what the fuck do you think I would tell Suvi? If something happened to you…to either of you, that little girl would be devastated…as would the rest of us. So don't you start trying to joke your way around this to avoid dealing with my fucked up emotions." Daphne yelled hotly.

Brian suddenly seemed unable to form rational thoughts as he tried to wrap his head around the woman's outburst.

Justin didn't know whether to punch Brian for his careless remark, or laugh triumphantly at the way Daphne had just rendered him speechless.

Brian held up his hand in mock surrender. "Ok, ok. Bad choice of words, I get it. I just didn't think you would get this upset. Is this a pregnant thing?"

Daphne punched his arm. "No, Brian! This is a friend thing. Pregnant or not, the idea of you not being here really fucking sucks, so just stop, alright?"

"My lips are sealed on the subject from now on." Brian relented; rubbing his arm affectively.

Standing up cautiously, not putting it past Daphne to deliver a swift kick to any number of valuable places on his body, Brian opened his arms. "Are we ok?"

Leaning back to study the brunette's expression, Daphne decided he was being sincere so she walked towards him and let him wrap his arms around her. "I guess." She sighed.

Justin huffed loudly from where he still sat at the couch. "Don't mind me. I'll just sit here while you two continue your love fest." He stated dramatically with a wave of his hand.

Brian turned his head towards the blonde. "Fuck it. Come on, Sunshine. Care to join in?" He relented as he pulled the blonde up and wrapped his arm around his waist before he pulled back suddenly. "If anyone walks in right now, you two are totally frisking me."

Justin laughed loudly. Tis the way of Brian Kinney.

**A/N – Ok, this chapter stumped me (which is why it took so long to post), but I think of this as more of a progression chapter. Little details here and there to set up future scenes, but please let me know what you think. I actually already have half of the next chapter finished, so it should be up in the next day or two if all goes well.**

**But I must warn everyone. Both of my godson's birthdays are this week (Monday and Tuesday) and a friend of mine is scheduled to have her daughter on Wednesday, family is flying in Thursday, Sunday is our family reunion, and then next Wednesday I am flying down to Florida for a couple weeks. My goal is to get at least one more chapter posted before Thursday, if not two! This next week will be tough, but once I get to Florida, I am still going to try to work on new chapters.**

**Anyways, just wanted to give the heads up in case things get really lazy around here for this story, but I am going to try not to let that happen. But, of course, the best way to motivate me to get more done and posted is to review! The more reviews I get the more I am fueled to push harder!**

**Evelyn**


	8. Chapter 8

"I wish they would hurry up." Daphne exclaimed impatiently; looking to the closed door of the sterile exam room for what seemed like the hundredth time. "I'm so excited, I can't wait."

"The waiting room did seem more crowded than before." Justin noted as Daphne laid down on the loud, white paper that covered the exam table. That was the fifth time she had completed the revolution from sitting to laying down in the 10 minutes they had been waiting.

"They make you wait so by the time they get here you are so stressed out they can prescribe you more medication, for high blood pressure or some shit, and funnel even more money in to the pharmaceutical companies." Brian grumbled from behind the magazine he was not even reading.

"Something stuck up your ass? And…" Justin laughed when Daphne chimed in to echo "…not in a life affirming kind of way. Besides, I believe one or two of those pharmaceutical companies have passed through the walls of Kinnetik over the years, have they not?" Justin challenged with a smirk.

Brian glared between the two as a short knock sounded from the door before it opened quickly. Justin turned towards the door to see Chrissy, the nurse who had been with them from the beginning breezed in, somewhat frazzled.

"Please forgive me, we are booked to capacity and, regrettably, understaffed today. Our ultrasound technician is, ironically, on maternity leave, so I am pulling double duty." When she saw the skeptical look pass between the two men, she smiled genuinely with a flick of her wrist. "Don't worry, dear. They don't trust just anyone to these pricey machines. I'm a fully certified Ultrasound Technician. Don't you worry your pretty little heads; I know what I'm doing."

Daphne leaned forward on her elbows, studying the woman thoughtfully. "Your name is Chrissy, right?"

The nurse fluttered, stunned by the woman's recognition. She was used to being the unseen warrior that flitted from patient to patient largely unnoticed. "Bless your heart, that is correct. The name's Christina Lennox, but everyone calls me Chrissy."

Daphne reached out to shake the woman's hand, relieved to be on a first name basis with the woman who had seen pretty much all there was to see of her over the past few weeks. "Daphne Chanders."

Chrissy shook her hand with a warm smile before turning expectantly towards the two men in the room. Justin reacted first with a slight blush. "Justin Kinney and this is my husband, Brian Kinney."

Chrissy smiled brightly at the two men. With the introductions out of the way, she set to work getting the machine working as she plugged cords in to various outlets and flipped various switches. "I'm so glad to see your little group back on this side of the process. I always worry, given the odds. Though it looks like you've got the system beat so far."

Justin's eyes lit up. "You remember us?"

"Of course, dear. You three are a hard lot to forget." Chrissy laughed heartily.

"I just figured you must see many different patients every day." Justin shrugged his shoulders.

"The occasional gems are hard to forget." Chrissy exclaimed with a wink as the blonde smiled widely.

Pushing a few buttons, the group waited while the machine came to life. Taking the opportunity, Chrissy directed her interest to the brunette in the corner, hiding behind the magazine. "If you don't mind me asking, what is it you do for a living? That's an awfully sharp suit you're wearing."

Justin pushed his leg against Brian's when the brunette didn't reply. Pulling his focus back to the present, Brian did his best to recall the question at hand. "I own my own advertising agency."

"Would I have heard of it?" Chrissy asked, with blind interest, as she pulled the monstrous contraption towards Daphne, who lay fidgeting on the table.

"We're based out of Pittsburgh, but you might have seen some of our work. Kinnetik?" Brian ventured as he sat up in his chair. This he could do. Talk about business, especially the business he had worked his ass off to make successful; this was comfortable territory.

"Can't say that I have heard of it, but take no offense, I get so caught up in everything going on here, I don't watch much TV when I get home." A quick frown took over the woman's face. "By any chance did your company have anything to do with that commercial with the squealing pig in the car with the pinwheel?"

"Fuck no!" Brian shot out appalled.

"Good, I hate that damn commercial. Gets under my skin like nothing else." Yes, Brian liked her, he definitely liked this woman.

Turning her attention back to Daphne when the machine was ready to go and the computer screen was waiting, Chrissy instructed Daphne as she pulled on a pair of sanitized gloves. "I just need you to lift your shirt up to just above your stomach. The gel will be cold at first, though I'm sure you remember." Daphne did as she was told.

Moving the machine around to the other side of table, she motioned towards Brian and Justin. "You boys are more than welcome to come over. This is when the fun really starts."

Justin practically jumped to his feet as Brian followed at a slower pace, laughing slightly at the blonde's enthusiasm. They took their place beside the table and Justin grabbed ahold of Daphne's hand as he had before. She gripped his hand tightly with a hiss as the gel came in to contact with her exposed skin before relaxing as the wand glided over her abdomen.

"Just takes a second to find…" Chrissy replied; focusing completely on the computer screen in front of her as she reached over to push a few buttons, switching the view on the monitor.

A few tense moments followed as Justin grabbed a hold of Brian with his free hand, before a rather loud thudding sound filled the room. Justin's hand became a vice around Brian's but he didn't pay any attention, he simply stared transfixed at the screen.

All coherent thought escaped him. This was, without a doubt, the most thrilling _thumpa thumpa_ he had ever heard. No synthesized and overworked beat found in Babylon could ever compare to this.

In that short moment, Brian regretted having never experienced this with Gus. Another casualty of his misguided philosophy all those years ago. But maybe it had less to do with his age at the time and more to do with the blonde standing beside him now. Whatever it was, this foreign sensation was wreaking havoc on his senses.

Justin and Daphne locked eyes in a brilliant cast of emotional bliss as they listened to the rapid, healthy beat.

Brian realized, however, that something wasn't right. In that instant his vision seemed to blur slightly while his mind repeated the silent chanting of ' no' he had only once before verbalized. He contemplated not asking the question that hung behind his lips. A question he knew none of them were prepared to have answered. "Only one." He whispered to no one in particular.

"Excuse me?" Chrissy asked.

Justin and Daphne turned to the brunette, their eyes wide with amazement, not yet having grasped the reality that lay before them.

"Heartbeat." Brian clarified, clearing his throat impatiently. "There's only one heartbeat."

Chrissy frowned as she flipped through the papers on their chart and remembered back to their last visit during the egg transfer. Her heart sank when she looked back to the screen; realizing the brunette was right. "I am afraid you are correct."

The water that had been collecting in Daphne's eyes finally broke free, followed closely in kind by Justin's own watery emotions. The air seemed to physically escape Brian's lungs. After a moment, Justin turned to his husband with a soft smile; leaning up, his kiss ghosted over his lips as he leaned back with a quick nod of his head.

Brian almost wanted to laugh. In what universe would it turn out that Justin would be the one trying to silently reassure Brian that everything would be ok? Justin had never been weak by any stretch of the imagination, but Brian was used to being the one who did the reassuring when it was necessary.

Daphne's eyes remained glued to the tiny, almost untraceable little blob on the screen. Her hand shook in Justin's grip, but a smile tugged at her lips.

Chrissy watched as the group processed and then pulled themselves through the saddened revelation at the bittersweet turn of events; a small sense of pride washed over her at their resolve. Though she suspected that the brunette was struggling. She was all too familiar with the strong stoic types who tried to carry their entire family on their shoulders without ever asking for help.

"Listen to the speed and weight of that heartbeat. This little one is strong." Attempting to ease some of their anxiety, Chrissy added her own observation with a knowing smile. "My boys had strong heartbeats and I'll tell you, there isn't a thing on this planet that could hold them down, now."

As she pressed a few buttons, allowing the machine to print out a reading while the computer printed out copies of their baby's first picture, Chrissy let the silence surround them as the others in the room were lost in their own thoughts.

Helping Daphne clean some of the gel off her stomach, Chrissy was startled when the woman started speaking. "How many children do you have?"

"Pardon me?" Chrissy asked, confused.

"You mentioned 'your boys' a minute ago. I was just wondering how many children you have." Daphne corrected as she finished wiping up the remaining gel and lowered her shirt.

"I really need to work on watching what I say when I start rambling. My boys are my nephew's. Never had any children of my own, though those boys are about as close to my own as I suppose anyone can be." Chrissy smiled lovingly at the thought of her much-missed family.

"I'm sorry to hear that about you not having any children."

"Don't be sorry, dear. While I wish they lived closer…they are all the way out in Chicago, I see them as often as possible either flying out to them or wrestling them to come out here to visit. I always got the best of both worlds with them. I got to spoil them rotten and rarely had to dole out the punishments." Chrissy noticed that the two men had made their way back to their seats and were huddled together, speaking to each other so softly she almost wondered if they were speaking at all, if not for the slight movement of their lips. They must have sensed the shift in the atmosphere as they turned towards their friend and Chrissy.

"You know," Chrissy walked back around the exam table to take her seat between the table and chairs, fixing her attention to Brian. "You remind me a lot of my Ryker."

Brian raised his eyebrow.

She knew better, however, than to list her reasoning's for the comparison. Like her nephew, she sensed that this man didn't like having his qualities, good or bad, listed to him. "Ry is a beautiful boy, inside and out." She sighed heavily as she smiled buoyantly at the two men. "I just hope, one day, he'll find a man who will look at him the way you two look at each other."

[o][o][o][o][o]

Knocking on the front door for the third time, Brian frowned when he didn't hear any movement inside the rather large house that Emmett and Drew had bought a few years back. It was a respectable mix between the mansion Emmett had always dreamed of having and the country cottage he had always yearned to call home.

They had called when they left the clinic; the man knew they would be arriving soon. Where the hell was everyone? Brian tried the doorknob and found It to be unlocked. Turning the handle slowly, he peeked his head in to the foyer before opening the ornate door all the way to allow for Daphne and Justin to follow him in. Brian shook his head when he looked around. No matter how many times they had been to the house, the eclectic and downright fucking odd mixture of Emmett's love for everything loud and bold and Drew's brawny lack of style when it came to home décor, always left the brunette slightly horrified. The combined effect fit the couple, no doubt, but it was still hard for Brian to swallow.

A chorus of squeals and shouting sounded from the indoor sporting area; the one thing that Drew had insisted on having put in place before they moved in. By and large he let his flamboyant boyfriend take charge, not really concerned either way with what the house looked like; as long as he had his big screen TV and the year-round cable sports package, he didn't much care if they sat on beanbags.

Following the noise, the three stopped when they turned the corner and saw what the cause of the commotion was. All the gym equipment had been pushed aside so the middle of the large room was open. Crouched down low on the black mat, Drew looked as if he had never left the football field. One hand, knuckles down, steadied his weight as he instructed Suvi on how to start a play. The little girl, wearing a bright pink layered dress, lime green stockings and fuzzy pig slippers, adjusted the much-too-large helmet that hung all the way to her shoulders. Peering through the open front of the helmet, she mimicked his posture as best she could. She toppled forward once, but that was largely attributed to the helmet that made her top heavy.

Everything became silent before Drew yelled out an incomprehensible stream of numbers before the two jumped to action. Drew allowed the ball to fall from his hands so Suvi could recover it. Letting the child slip past him, he started running after her as the girl giggled to the point of losing her sense of direction as she turned to run right for the large man. Shrieking with laughter she ran wide around him.

Off to the side, and with his back to the group, Emmett hadn't realized they were standing there as he started yelling towards the two. "Stay in the end zone! No wait, run to the outfield." Emmett shouted excitedly.

Drew stopped to stare at the screaming man as he began to laugh loudly. "Outfield is baseball."

Emmett thought for a moment before he waved the other man off. "Screw it. Run baby, run!"

Drew took off once more after the girl as Suvi held on to the ball with all her might. Finally, realizing she could never outrun the much-faster man, she went for plan B and took off running right for Emmett. Throwing his arms wide, Emmett caught the girl mid-air as he bounced up and down on the balls of his feet in cheer. "You did it."

When Drew started walking toward the bouncing pair, he noticed the trio standing back in the house. With a smile, he motioned to Emmett who was spinning the excited child around.

Daphne cleared her throat loudly causing the man to stop abruptly. Smiling brightly, his face slightly flushed from the excitement, Emmett bounded towards the group; Suvi bouncing on his hip. "I must not have heard you knock. We got a little carried away."

Justin laughed at his friend.

Daphne grinned as she stole her daughter away and showered her with unwanted kisses. Now that the helmet had been removed, you could see her glittery cheeks and randomly braided and curled hair. Pink lipstick colored her lips awkwardly while green eye shadow was heavily applied to her eyelids.

Emmett laughed nervously. "We were playing dress up." He conceded.

As the brunette was now in full-view, it seemed as though he hadn't escaped the same fate. His face was a mess of glitter and eye shadow, though his lips were a darker shade of red.

Knowing Brian would have field day with this revelation, Justin turned towards the man, only to find him staring unfocused in to the distance. Shaking his arm slightly, Justin noted the odd behavior but decided not to address it at the current moment.

Brian shook his head slightly before smiling down to the blonde. Returning his attention to the rest of the group, he took in first Suvi and then Emmett's appearance. Smiling, though his eyes seemed dull and his voice almost tired, Brain consented. "Emmy Lou, you're looking particularly ravishing today."

The comment was there, but the normal snark-filled remark fell flat.

Emmett, for his part, looked almost appalled at the brunette's lack of remark. Looking between the three, he noted that Daphne seemed exceedingly happy while Brian appeared almost robotic in his actions. Justin looked damn near perplexed as he studied the man he knew too well, though he found himself unable to pin point the problem. Emmett was dying to know what happened with the ultrasound but gauging between the radically mixed expressions he was viewing, he took hold of a moment of self-awareness and decided not to pry. He would find out soon enough.

Justin took over as Daphne thanked the men many time for looking after Suvi for them. Brian followed the duo silently out of the house as Justin promised to call Emmett later, wordlessly promising to fill him in on the details the blonde knew he was itching for.

[o][o][o][o][o]

Leaning back in to the thick, tightly stretched brown leather, Brian's seemed unable to stop his thoughts from twisting around the information they had received the day before. Daphne was pregnant, which was supposed to be good news. Yet all Brian could see was what that really meant.

Brian had kept an eye on Justin ever since they found out; waiting for the reactional surge to hit but so far he hadn't seemed to stop smiling long enough to process any other emotions.

_Was he not grasping what this really meant?_

_Did he not care?_

_Or was he simply hiding behind a mask_

Brian couldn't even laugh at the irony of those thoughts. He simply wasn't used to being the one with all the nagging questions floating around in his head. He never thought that this would be his point of contention, either, he had to admit.

Brian was pulled from the onslaught of thoughts berating his mind by a tiny pair of hands that were currently patting his knees. "Uncle Bri, look what I made."

Looking down to the small girl, confusion initially clouded Brian's mind before he was brought back to reality…to the dimly lit den in which he currently sat, nursing a glass of Beam. His eyes focusing and unfocusing on the flames within the fireplace that seemed to taunt him with their noisy crackling.

"What do you got there, Suvi?" Drawling the question in forced cheer, Brian pulled the small girl up on to his lap. She settled on his thighs with her legs bent under her small frame before she shoved a piece of paper towards him.

"For you." She stated simply as Brian took the paper and studied it.

Recognizing the yellow vinyl raincoat, shoes, and hat she wore whenever she painted with Justin, the corner of Brian's lip twitched as he remembered the first time he had seen the little girl in her painting gear.

"_Look at what Uncle Juss got me, Uncle Bri. Now I can paint with him and mommy won't get mad." Suvi yelled as she ran in to Brian's home office, a virtual flash of yellow and curls. Justin soon entered the room with Daphne close behind._

_Launching herself in to the brunette's lap, Brian held her at arm's length to appraise the ensemble. "Did you shop in the Paddington Bear isle or something?" Brian laughed when Suvi looked at him questioningly._

_Justin grinned widely. "Bite me. The material won't stain and she won't ruin anymore clothes when we paint." Justin announced triumphantly as he turned towards Daphne who nodded in approval._

_Tiny hands found either side of his face as Suvi implored the older man to place his focus back to her. She looked to him with raised eyebrows, a look Brian had seen countless times before directed at him by her mother. "Looks like you are all set, Suv. How about you go put that outfit to work and paint me something." _

_Just as she had entered, the child was gone in an excited flash._

Brian studied the girl's latest creation as Justin entered the room wiping his hands on an old rag, leaning down to place a quick kiss to Brian's neck as he passed the pair on the couch.

"For me, huh? It's beautiful," Brian exclaimed as he twisted the paper from side to side, not finding rhyme or reason to the unconnected colorful forms on the paper.

Settling down further in to his lap, Suvi took the paper from him. "It's the babies in mommy's tummy. Mommy said they put two babies in her belly and soon they will be here."

Brian's stomach churned at the girl's innocent interpretation of the very complex situation.

"That's right, babe." Justin laughed as he reached down for the girl and settled her comfortably on his hip. "There's a baby growing in mommy's belly right now, but only one baby, not two."

Justin noticed out of the corner of his eye as Brian downed the rest of the dark liquor in the glass he had clutched in his hands; his jawline strained against the tension.

"Oh, okay. When will the baby get here? Can I keep it?"

"How about we all share the baby, would that be alright?" Justin asked, smiling as the girl seriously considered his question, before she nodded her head in concession. "And the baby will be here in about 8 months."

"That long?" Suvi whined in obvious distaste.

"I'm afraid so, but it will go by quicker than you think. We want the baby to be nice and healthy, don't we?" As Justin spoke, Brian pushed himself brusquely off the couch, shaking his head as he practically stalked out of the room.

Scrunching his nose in confusion, Justin turned back to the little girl in his arms. "Let's go find mommy, I think she went for a swim while we painted. Want to play in the pool for a little bit?" Justin asked as he walked out of the den and towards the back patio towards the enclosed area of the indoor pool. Not one to enjoy freezing his ass of in the winter to enjoy even the heated variety, Brian had insisted after their first year at Britin, that they have the pool area enclosed so they could use it year round.

Setting the girl down on the stone floor surrounding the pool, he removed the paint splattered garments as Daphne swam towards them. "Done painting with Uncle Juss?" Daphne asked as she placed her arms on the edge of the pool, her chin resting on her hands.

"Something's up with Brian. I need to go talk to him." Justin motioned back towards the house as Daphne climbed the latter on the side of the pool. Taking over, Daphne located a bathing suit and floaties for her daughter before she waved Justin off to the house.

Walking purposefully back in to the den, Justin stopped for a moment to see if he could figure out where Brian was by sound. After a few seconds, and just before he gave up in favor of simply looking in each room, a loud crash came from the direction of Brian's office. Sprinting towards the room, Justin stopped abruptly in the doorway when he saw the mess the normally spotless room was in.

Books lay haphazardly all over the floor with papers covering nearly every inch surrounding his desk. Most alarming, however, was the heap of plastic and metal on the floor that was once Brian's laptop. Brian had treated that laptop like it was made of pure gold because of all the information he had accumulated over the years concerning his business and other various interests of his. It was obvious he had emptied the top of his desk on to the floor, but what Justin couldn't figure out was why?

"Brian?" Justin cautioned as the brunette whipped around to look at him, his face a mixture of rage and…confusion perhaps. "What's going on?"

"It's nothing." Brian clipped tersely as he leaned against the edge of his now-empty desk, his hands gripping the wood like a vice.

"Really?"

Brian noticed the way that Justin was slowly approaching him like a man would approach a caged animal in hopes of coaxing it out of the confined space. It both saddened and infuriated him all at once.

"Look, the art department keeps fucking up the boards for the Lightwell campaign and if we don't have something by 10am tomorrow morning, they're walking." Brian lied.

Justin's head tilted to the side, his eyes flashing as he stopped a few feet from his husband. "Don't you dare fucking lie to me. I'd rather you tell me to mind my own fucking business than to lie."

"Fine." Brian shouted, pushing himself off the desk as he walked to stand behind the chair. "Mind your own fucking business." With a short nod towards the door, Brian bent down to retrieve a piece of paper from the floor, as if it were suddenly the most interesting thing he had ever seen.

Justin stood rooted to the ground, floored by this sudden outburst. True, this came out of nowhere, but what worried Justin even more was the fact that this wasn't a typical Kinney tantrum. Justin was used to the way Brian would get in his face when they argued; he was used to the physical aspect of their confrontations…not abusive, but physical none-the-less. This time, however, Justin couldn't mistake the way Brian was deliberately distancing himself, putting even more space between them than already existed.

This outburst was an entirely new beast, Justin knew this instinctively. Deciding to give Brian the space he apparently needed, he would let Brian approach him if or when he was ready. Nodding his head sharply, his lips pinched together until they were nearly white, Justin spun on the heel of his shoes and walked back towards the door.

Closing his eyes at the sound of glass crunching beneath his feet, Justin reached out to close the door behind him.

"Justin…wait!" Brian sighed heavily.

Justin stopped but didn't turn around. Searching the recesses of his mind, he still couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on.

"The art department really is fucking up this campaign. That is the truth. I might even need to enlist your help in straightening this mess out if you are up for it." Brian laughed nervously, his eyes raking over the back of his husband's frame. Justin finally turned around to face him but hadn't stepped back into the room, yet. "Unfortunately that is not what caused…all of this." Brian exclaimed as he motioned around the room.

"Either tell me what's wrong, or don't, but do not lie to me." Justin stated firmly.

His resolve broke with the anger; his voice rose dramatically, causing his husband to flinch. "Why is there only one?"

As much as he tried not to, Brian's anger flared at the blonde's ultimatum. Ten years later and he still had moments of reversion back to his old ways. That anger mixed with all the nagging questions and the bitter truth to push at his stubborn nature in a way that felt almost comforting in its familiarity.

This wasn't about pride or hurt feelings, this was about a loss; one that could never be recaptured.

And Brian wanted to know why?

Why the fuck was their happiness always contingent on tragedy?

And why couldn't he stop the anger and vitriol that flew out of his mouth, directed squarely at the one person he never wanted to hurt?

Confused by the brunette's words and the anger behind them, Justin waited for him to continue. When it appeared he was stuck in thought, Justin ventured forward. "One what?"

Brian took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. "Baby. Why did one make it and not the other? I knew the statistics and odds going in, but it still doesn't make sense in my mind."

"I don't know why only one made it, Brian. Is that why you are so upset?" Justin asked as he stepped closer.

"I…I liked the idea of there being two. A part of me and a part of you, bound to each other for life. Nothing would be able to break that connection." Getting a far off look in his eyes, Brian began to speak more rapidly. "It doesn't matter to me which one made it, whether technically it would be my child or yours, but…maybe it was because of the cancer? Maybe it was weaker because of me?"

Justin all but closed the gap between them upon hearing the brunette's last statement. "Brian, we don't even know which one made it and which one didn't, but the clinic knew all about your cancer. Besides, you passed the 5 year mark almost two years ago; you are considered cured."

"Yeah, technically." Brian cut in bitterly.

"Listen, I would have loved to have both babies." Justin nearly cooed as he stepped forward; bring his body flush against Brian's. He wrapped his arms around the taller man's waist, leaning back to look him deep in the eyes. "The idea that they would be biologically related, if only as half-brothers, was the reason we decided to only try two. Of course I am upset, but I am also so incredibly glad that we are still getting one. Whether this baby is biologically mine or yours, they will still be ours no matter what."

Brian still felt uneasy as the picture he had in his head of two little boys flashed alive once again; one with blonde, curly hair and the other a seemingly younger version of Gus with straight, nearly-black hair. Every time, however, when he would close his eyes, one of the little boys would vanish as the other reached out helplessly for his brother.

Before Brian could respond, he heard Suvi's little footsteps growing closer, squealing with delight as her mother implored for her to stop running. "Your uncles are busy. Stop this instant, Suvi, or bedtime will be directly after dinner. You are dripping wet, let me dry you off."

Daphne's threats proved useless as the slippery girl managed to evade her grasp once again.

Realizing they had only seconds before the girl descended upon the thrashed room, Brian's eyes grew large as he quickly looked to all the shattered glass that spread across the floor. Crossing the room in record time, he managed to catch the little girl just before she entered the room, reaching his hand out to stop Daphne from entering as well, noticing the woman's bare feet as well as her daughters.

Alarmed at the site before her, Daphne looked between the two men, her heart racing. She remembered Justin's earlier assessment that something was up with Brian and this was proof positive that he had not been exaggerating. "What's going on?"

Letting the air out of his lungs in a heavy rush, Brian held Suvi a little tighter to his chest; thankful the little girl hadn't been hurt by his neglectful actions. Ever since they had brought the little girl home from the hospital after she was born, Brian had always remained mindful of the little eyes, ears, and feet that roamed the house.

"Everything's okay, Daph" Justin said brightly as he walked over to stand beside Brian, nodding his head in affirmation.

Each crunch of broken glass under Justin's steps were like a punch to Brian's gut.

"Won't happen again." Brian attempted to reassure her, inwardly cursing himself. He promised long ago that this house would always be safe for Daphne's daughter. A promise he broke in a moment of weakness. A promise that he hoped to restore both now, and in the future. Between Suvi and the new baby that would soon be here, he could not afford to lose control, ever again.

Handing the damp child back to her mother, Brian found he didn't care if his clothes were ruined or if his shoes were damaged from the glass. "If you will excuse me, I have a mess to clean up." Brian replied as he looked back into the room before he turned around once more; a small smile forming on his lips. "How about we go out to eat for dinner? I suddenly feel the need to celebrate."

**A/N – Fair warning, this might be the last chapter until after I am settled in, in Florida, but I will try my best to work on more before I fly out next Wednesday. But if it is a bit longer before the next chapter, I am hoping that this chapter (the longest yet) will make up for it. The last section with Brian's blowup has been my favorite part to write for the story and was actually the first scene I typed up and the basis for which I've written this story around, so this chapter has been a long time coming.**

**Reviews are wonderful and help speed up the process, so please let me know what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

_Suburban hell._

Parking behind a hideously mundane minivan with soccer balls and lawn chairs cluttering the back window in all its mediocre glory, Brian groused at the perfectly trimmed front lawn that gave way to a two-story cookie cutter house with white paneling and red shutters. The front yard was cluttered with toys and various other kid-friendly apparatuses.

He could practically taste the bile that rose in his throat at the mere thought of such a bland existence.

_What the fuck was he doing here and how did he get stuck with kiddie chauffer duty?_

Right, when his options were to either pick Suvi up from her play-date or tag along while Daphne and Jennifer went shopping for baby paraphernalia that would no-doubt included lots of cooing and squealing.

Instead, Brian had gladly handed over the credit card in to Justin's capable hands and wished them well in their rather abhorrent expedition.

Completing his part of the trade-off, Brian eased his way out of the large SUV and made his way up the too-perfect walk-way leading to the front door that held some hand-made sign welcoming visitors and pets alike. Brian couldn't stop his eyes from rolling in to the back of his head. Sure the grounds of Britin were immaculately kept up but he'd willingly paid someone else to maintain that rather monotonous aspect of home ownership. He enjoyed having a nice yard and clean house at all times, but he would just as soon burn his favorite Prada loafers before he would sit his ass down on a lawnmower. That is what landscapers and cleaning services were for. He pitied the poor schmucks whose wives nagged them with their never-ending honey-do lists. The only honey-do list Justin ever expected him to accomplish usually produced itself in the form of the rather brilliant "honey, do me" variety that he was only too happy to fulfill.

Knocking swiftly, Brian hoped to get this over and done with as quickly as possible. If he was lucky, he wouldn't even have to venture in to the god-forsaken house.

The door swung open and any hopes of a quick escape were dashed when Brian's gaze met that of a tall, blonde woman he vaguely remembered from Suvi's last birthday party when his house has been taken over by sticky-fingered munchkins and their equally excitable mothers. The blonde was flanked by three other women who wore mirrored expressions of appreciation as they looked over Brian's lean body.

"Mr. Kinney, what a surprise." The blonde laughed; her voice fluttering as she subtly elbowed the women behind her so she could distance herself from them as she took a step forward. "Daphne didn't mention _**you**_ would be picking up."

_What was her name again? Charlene…no Darlene…fuck it._ There was a reason he hadn't bothered to remember it in the first place.

"I didn't believe that was necessary. Does this present a problem of some sort?" Brian bit back the growl that was settling comfortably in his throat at the woman's none-to-subtle advances.

Waving her hands frantically between them, the woman motioned for Brian to follow her in to the house. "No, of course not! Like I said, just a surprise – a very nice surprise." She nearly purred.

The woman actually batted her eyelashes at him. _What the fuck?_ This woman knew that she was anything but his type as he was never one to hide his preference for the male persuasion.

One male in particular.

This woman was persistent, he had to give her that. Brian willed his eyes not to roll back in to his head, once again, at the woman's flakiness when he glanced pointedly to the wedding ring that adorned her finger. Fidgeting nervously, the blonde rolled the ring around her finger before placing both hands behind her back as her cheeks became inflamed.

Sighing heavily, Brian forced his most charming smile as he strode in to the living room. The women followed so closely he could smell their sickeningly sweet perfume. "Well, I just need to get Suvi back home for dinner, so if you wouldn't mind…" Brian motioned towards the second floor, hoping the woman would get the hint and go fetch the child in question.

Before she could respond a loud burst of giggling sounded from directly above them as multiple sets of little feet could be heard running towards the stairs.

_This woman was useless._

Before she even attempted to remove herself from her spot beside Brian, a herd of shrieking girls ran down the stairs, led at the front by Suvi much to Brian's relief as she walked purposefully towards him. Distancing himself from the women who seemed to inch closer to him with each uncomfortably slow second that passed, Brian made his way towards the little girl. As he moved to scoop her up, and possibly shield himself from the tactless women if need be, Suvi stopped him with an outstretched hand.

Stopping in his tracks, Brian's lip curled up slightly when she placed both hands on her hips before fixing him with searching eyes.

"Are you ready to head home?" Brian asked.

Seemingly ignoring his question, Suvi's eyes swept up and down Brian in contemplation as she studied his face in particular, before she finally spoke, her head cocking to the side. "Are you my daddy?"

All the air left Brian's lungs as Suvi remained defiantly perched at his feet; the girls behind her giggled conspiratorially as audible gasps assaulted him from behind.

_Fuck my life…_

Brian quickly gathered Suvi's affects from the outstretched hands of the nervous-looking blonde, scooped the protesting girl in to his arms; not bothering to acknowledge the woman's appeal for him to return at any time in the future, as he made his way out of the claustrophobic house. Approaching the car with silent determination, Brian helped the child settle in to her booster seat before he took his place behind the wheel.

He took a couple deep breathes, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

_Just let me get home!_

Suvi bounced her legs stubbornly against the seat as the mental countdown to her verbal barrage began.

_3…2…1…_

"You never said! Are you my daddy?"

Looking in to the rearview mirror, Brian held her gaze for a second before he returned to the task at hand. Getting them home safely, in one piece…so her mother could handle this disaster.

_What the fuck was he supposed to say? He couldn't just ignore her the entire way home, much as he'd like to._

Clearing his throat, Brian pressed on. "Why would you think that?"

"Kirsten said that her daddy helped her learn how to ride her big girl bike. You helped me with my big girl bike after you almost hit Uncle Juss with that wrench thing when you got mad and said a bunch of bad words, remember? And Sally's daddy gives her ice cream sometimes before dinner when her mommy isn't watching…you give me chocolate until mommy yells at you even though I always eat all my dinner." Suvi stated proudly.

Brian was suddenly convinced that nothing good ever came from these damn play dates. All those little ankle bitters swapping stories and comparing notes; planning sneak attacks on unsuspecting adults that were only there to pick them up by way of harmlessly avoiding shopping.

Suvi continued behind him. "But Uncle Juss lets me paint with him and he taught me how to swim like Rebecca's daddy did with her. Maybe he's my daddy? Ohhh, Billy's daddies both talk like Uncle Em but they don't wear his pretty clothes. Is Uncle Em my daddy?"

All the campaign pitches he pulled out of his ass on the spot over the years and this was what was going to do him in?

Brian Kinney; taken down by a three-year old little girl.

"Why are you asking this now?" Brian pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to ward off the building headache that was starting to pound behind his eyes.

"I told Sarah about mommy having a baby in her belly and Bre told me that her mommy had a baby in her belly but he was a boy, gross!" Suvi wrinkled her nose in disgust causing Brian to momentarily abandon his freak-out to appreciate her candidness. "Her mommy and daddy kissed and cuddled a lot and mommy and Uncle Juss cuddle a lot too and kiss. Uncle Juss said the baby would have two daddies, one mommy, and I would be the big sister." Suvi declared.

Following the mental progression of the toddler, Brian could understand how easily she would get confused in the simplistic description her traitorous friends had provided. How could he explain the different between innocent cuddling and "cuddling" that often led to screaming babies after nine months?

Turning down their driveway, Brian couldn't remember the last time he had been so relieved to be home. He needed distractions for the girl until her mother got home. Television, movies, chocolate; hell money…at this point, he was willing to offer up the 'vette if he thought she would end this horrid inquiry.

Pulling in to the spacious garage, Brian helped Suvi out of her seat and ushered her in to the house and straight to the den. Piling sketch pads, coloring books, and crayons in front of her, he turned the television on and stepped just outside of the room hoping the visual distractions would hold her at bay for a while.

Dialing the familiar number, Brian paced back and forth in the foyer waiting for an answer. "We're almost done, I swear. And I think you'll be surprised with what we got…" Justin rushed in greeting, clearly expecting Brian's concerns to be placed elsewhere.

"Justin…Justin, can you shut the fuck up for a second." He pleaded as he poked his head back in to the den only to find Suvi sitting quietly at the table with a blue crayon in her hand; her tongue sticking out slightly in concentration as she drew on the blank construction paper. "Listen, I don't care if you bought the entire Toys-R-Us inventory…I need you and Daph to get home NOW! It's an emergency." Brian hung up quickly when Suvi bounced around the corner and tugged on his shirt.

Flinching in preparation for the next wave of questions, Brian otherwise remained still.

"I'm thirsty." Came the simple request.

Breathing out heavily, Brian led the way in to the kitchen. _This he could do._ Grabbing out a juice box and throwing some grapes in to a bowl, Brian felt a small level of accomplishment at his ability to provide a healthy snack for the child. He didn't ALWAYS feed her junk.

Only when he was sending her off with her mother, of course.

Fifteen minutes later, the door burst open as Daphne and Justin ran in to the house, both gasping for air, as the scene they came upon was not what they had expected. Suvi was preoccupied in the den, but it was Brian who quickly took their concern. He was pacing back and forth, his hands bunched in his hair; and he was mumbling to himself until he caught sight of them.

He sighed in relief.

"What's wrong?" Daphne nearly shrieked as she looked back and forth between her daughter and the older man.

"She is never to go to one of those fucking play dates ever again." Brian's voice rose as he pointed in the direction of the den. "Justin, I swear, if you ever even think about sending our kid to one of those, I will divorce you on the spot." Justin let out the breath he had been holding when it was clear nothing was wrong…at least not immediately.

Daphne's eyes flashed as she stalked towards Brian, causing the older man to take a few steps back in surprise. Her fist connected with his upper arm with a deep thud. "Don't you ever fucking scare me like that again. Do you know how many terrible things ran through my mind in the ride from the store to here? If you ever do that to me again, I will kill you." Daphne yelled as she sagged a little from the rush of adrenaline coursing through her body. "Fuck I need to sit down."

Justin grabbed her elbow and directed her towards the kitchen as he helped her to a chair at the table. He pulled the bag of grapes out of the fridge and tossed them to his friend. Daphne ate a couple grapes and took a couple minutes to compose herself before she looked back to Brian. "Now, explain to me what this big emergency was and why play dates are forever banned."

"First of all, have you seen those vultures that you left her with? I mean, Madame Bovary would be proud! Secondly, I'm trying to fend off the greater population of Cougarville when Suvi walks right up to me, and in front of everyone, asks me if I am her father." Justin gasped in shock, but it was Daphne's subsequent giggling that surprised Brian the most. "She never asked those questions until she went over there. Those other little brats are clearly corrupting her and planting these little seeds in her mind. Next she'll be asking about sex and…" Brian couldn't continue down that awful train of thought. He shuddered audibly.

Daphne laughed once more before she stood up. "Brian, you are a highly intelligent man…you own your own successful advertising company for god's sake. People pay you to understand things that others might not pick up on. How is it this foreign to you the idea that Suvi would think you could be her father? Logically, you and Justin are the two closest men in her life, by a long shot. It's only natural that she would think this. How could you not see this coming a mile away?" She asked.

"You mean, you knew this would happen?" Brian implored.

Daphne shrugged her shoulders. "Eventually, yeah, I kind of figured it would come up at some point."

"And you never thought to give a heads up?" Brian threw his hands in the air.

Daphne's exasperation grew. "Frankly, I didn't think I would have to spell it out for you. Look, we all know you deal with emotions differently than most, but sometimes I wonder if you understand people…like at all."

Brian looked to Justin, who simply shrugged his shoulders in partial agreement with his best friend. In all the ways Brian had changed over the years, he still seemed stunted when it came to grasping the expected normal workings of those around him.

Daphne's expressions softened. "I'm sorry she bombarded you with this. I probably should have warned you that this would likely become an issue at some point." Though Brian had become closer to Gus over the last few years, he had always taken to fatherhood in an almost manic fashion. He could go weeks without speaking to Gus only to turn around and talk to him on the phone every night for weeks on end. He feared his place in Gus's life; a matter that Daphne understood came from his issues with his own father, as well as the varying stance Lindsay and Mel took when dealing with his rightful place. While never done in malice, they had always given off hot and cold vibes as far as Brian was concerned. One minute they implored him to be more active in his son's life and the other they were requesting that he respect their boundaries as Gus' mothers.

Daphne assumed Suvi's little inquisition likely fucked with his head in all the wrong ways. She looked from Brian to Justin, her lips turning ever so slightly in to a frown. "We never really, REALLY, discussed how everything would be when I had Suvi. We have kind of just taken it day by day in a lot of ways and now I am wondering if I have let this all get too far. Yes, this is a normal question for a girl in Suvi's position to have, but it's also not fair to assume that you both would be okay with it all. So many things have, and are about to change, that I think it might help to put a little distance between us. If only to let you guys have your own lives…at least until the baby comes…and maybe establish better boundaries with Suvi. This is an issue that you both shouldn't be expected to deal with."

Daphne moved towards the den but stopped when Brian grabbed her elbow. "Look, if I didn't want the two of you around so much, I wouldn't have built the cottage practically in our back yard. What we've got going on is fine. Let's just deal with this issue like all the others; head on."

Brian waited for Daphne to respond. She thought for a moment before her lips curled in to a knowing grin. Pulling herself up on to her toes, she quickly placed a kiss to Brian's cheek before turning back to Justin who had remained silent during the exchange. One thing she always loved about her best friend was his ability to understand when it was best to let others deal with their issues without interfering.

Daphne repeated the action with the blonde when he offered her a reassuring smile. Grabbing his hand, the three adults squared their shoulders and prepared for battle.

Suvi had remained where Brian had left her with her snack; coloring by the television, responding to the inane questions the children's television program was asking about shapes and numbers, without ever looking up from the coloring book in front of her. Daphne walked in front of her and turned off the TV. Suvi looked up, noticing her mom for the first time and smiled.

"Hello, mommy."

"Hi, baby." Daphne softly responded, running her fingers through her daughter's messy curls. "I think we need to talk."

Suvi's eyes clouded in concerned apprehension. "I was good today over at Sarah's house, I promise. I didn't take Sarah's toys again, I shared my barbies just like Uncle Juss told me to."

Justin smiled brightly at the girl's words. He had been working with her on the finer points of sharing. Being the only child – when Gus wasn't visiting – among three adults who catered to her every whim had left the girl at a large social disadvantage.

"I know you were, baby, and I am so proud of you. But when Uncle Bri came and picked you up, do you remember what you asked him?" Daphne inquired as she motioned towards where Brian stood next to Justin behind the little girl. Suvi turned around to take in her uncles' presence before returning her attention to her mother.

"I asked Uncle Bri if he was my daddy?"

Daphne nodded, allowing her daughter to steer the conversation. She was beyond interested in how that little mind was working at the moment.

"Is he? Bre told me that he was…she also said he's cute which is gross." Suvi informed the three, her face screwing up in to a sour expression as she stuck her tongue out.

Brian smirked.

"No baby he's not your daddy." Daphne crouched down until she was eye level with the girl. "And neither is Uncle Juss."

The toddler's face fell. Daphne's heart broke at the sad expression that graced her daughter's beautiful face. "They would be awesome daddies, though, wouldn't they?"

Suvi nodded her head enthusiastically.

Looking to the men, but focusing on the brunette, Daphne quirked her eye brow at him, hoping he understood the point she was trying to make. She knew that he still struggled with the idea that he could be a good father…Daphne just hoped that Suvi's apparent endorsement would help to assuage some of those fears.

Justin broke away from Brian's side to sit down next to Daphne. He took the little girl's hand in his and smiled. "We may not be your daddies, but we love you very much. Just as much as we love Gus, do you understand?" Justin searched her face.

Her nose scrunched in contemplation. "I think so."

Daphne thought carefully about how she could explain the situation to Suvi in a way that the little girl could understand. She very well couldn't tell her daughter that she was the product of a one night stand – the result of too much alcohol and too little inhibitions when Brian and Justin had taken her on a Caribbean cruise for her birthday four years ago. The men's sole mission during that trip seemed to be to get her laid after a rather long dry-run. Their determination, coupled with an apparent faulty condom, had resulted in the appearance of the little pink line two months later.

Daphne forged ahead. "Honey, sometimes when a baby is born there isn't a daddy around for lots of reasons…"

"But Sarah said there HAS to be a mommy and a daddy." Suvi corrected.

When Daphne paused for a moment, she threw a pleading glance towards the two men. Brian watched as Daphne and Justin silently debated their options. Pushing the sleeves of his black shirt up to his elbows, Brian quickly calculated the task at hand and formulated the best response his many years in advertising and all around bull-shitting had afforded him. Motioning for Justin and Daphne to part ways, Brian settled down in front of the child.

"Suvi?" He questioned as the girl nodded for him to continue. "Ok, Sarah has a mommy and a daddy, right?" Suvi nodded. "Bre and Kirsten both have mommies and daddies, too, right?" The girl nodded again. "But Billy has two daddies, doesn't he?" Once again, the girl nodded. "And your one little friend…" Brian turned towards Daphne, "the little know-it-all with the freckles and the small ears?"

Daphne laughed at his description as she recalled the child in question. "Maddy?"

"Yes, Maddy!" Brian exclaimed as he turned back to Suvi. "Maddy only has a daddy, right?"

Suvi nodded once more.

"See, not everyone has a mommy and a daddy. Some kids have two mommies, like Gus, or two daddies, like Billy and some only have a daddy, like Maddy, and some only have a mommy, like you."

Suvi thought about that concept for a minute, still unsure as to whether she could fully accept that explanation.

Justin spoke up, scooting closer in to Brian's side. "You may not have a daddy, but you've got so many other people who love you, you know! Like Grandma Deb and Grandma Jenn, all your uncles, Aunt Mel and Aunt Linds, and Hunter and Gus and even JR."

Suvi's face lit up. "Uncle Drew is funny! He let me and Uncle Em put lipstick on him last time."

"Kinky!" Brian whispered, receiving an elbow to his stomach from the blonde.

Suvi began to giggle. "What did you say Uncle Bri?"

Brian looked helplessly from Daphne to Justin as the two were more than happy to leave the man floundering in his own mess. He grinned devilishly when an idea came to mind. "Twinky. I was wondering who here would like a twinky?"

The little girl started jumping up and down, her little hand waving frantically in the air. "Me, me, me!" Suvi took off for the kitchen, forgetting completely about the conversation they had just had. Crisis averted…

At least for now.

The three adults rose from the couch.

"Nice save." Justin laughed as he threw his arms around the brunette's neck.

"You know," Daphne started as she headed towards the kitchen in search of her scavenging daughter, "for a couple of non-daddies, you both just saved the day, and saved a little girl from what could have been a very upsetting and confusing conversation. Once again – Rage and J.T. to the rescue." With a wink, Daphne disappeared around the corner.

"I still can't believe you said that in front of her." Justin laughed as he began to place soft kisses on the under-side of Brian's perfectly sculpted jaw.

"Just wait until little miss EmmyLou finds out that I know his and the beefcakes dirty little secret." Brian groaned as he leaned in to the pressing kisses.

Justin's lips left his skin immediately. "You wouldn't?" Justin gasped.

"The fuck I wouldn't!" With a wicked grin, Brian grabbed the back of Justin's neck and pulled the man back towards him. Their lips met feverishly. Justin laughed happily against Brian's lips causing him to groan at the sensation. Before they could progress any further both men were pulled back to reality by a hand tugging on both of their shirts.

Pulling back slightly, they both looked down to the girl at their feet. "Can I help you?" Brian asked, licking his dry lips when he saw how flushed Justin's skin had become.

"All the twinkies are gone." Suvi explained expectantly.

Brian couldn't resist the temptation as he leaned in to Justin's neck, whispering softly in his ear. "They're not all gone. I've got my own life-size twinky right here." With that, his hand traveled down the blonde's back to pinch his ass.

Justin jumped slightly but smiled at the girl. "Well then, it looks like Uncle Bri is going to have to go get us some, don't you think?"

Brian shot him a cutting glare. Justin knew that the only thing Brian would hate more than actually consuming one of the cream-filled, carb-laden snacks was if someone actually saw him buying them.

Daphne strolled back in to the room, a smug smile pulling at her lips; having heard Justin's last statement. "I think that would be perfect." Bending down, Daphne glanced up briefly towards the brunette before imploring her daughter enthusiastically. "I bet if you asked really nicely, Uncle Bri would let you go with him."

Brian didn't even attempt to hide the groan that formed in the deepest recesses of his throat. "What the…"

Justin clamped his hand over his mouth quickly. "Language!" Justin practically sang.

Brian matched his falsetto. "I think the little rugrat and I have had enough car bonding time for one lifetime."

Suvi worked her best puppy-dog eyes that she knew he couldn't resist. "Please Uncle Bri?"

_Fuck me!_ "All right munchkin, let's go." Brian grabbed his keys off the table in the foyer, directing the girl back towards the garage in which they had entered not long before. As they reached the door, Brian turned back towards the giggling pair. Pointing towards Justin, Brian stated in a warning tone. "My own, personal twinky better be ready when I get back."

Opening the door, Brian waited for Suvi to step down in to the garage. The little girl's eyes grew large. "Uncle Bri, you have your own twinky? That's not fair, do I get my own twinky? How come you don't have to share? Uncle Juss said…"

The pair laughed even louder when Brian groaned once more. As the door shut behind them, the two strained unsuccessfully to catch his answer knowing any revenge he would serve up would be well worth it in the end just to see the great Brian Kinney squirm under the innocent questioning of a three year old little girl.

**A/N – I can't apologize enough for the amount of time between the last chapter and this one! All I can say is that I just got back from being in Florida for 3 weeks, and while that seems like it would be a nice, relaxing vacation, it proved to be anything but. We dealt with relatives passing away, my best friend being kicked out of her house by her parents (because they are weird and have always treated her badly) so now I have a roommate, haha! On top of that, there were injuries and hurricanes, lol! Basically, if you can think it up, it happened! But enough of that, I have been working on this chapter pretty much the entire time I was down there whenever I could sneak away to grab some time alone.**

**I hope this is at least somewhat worth the wait and while the subsequent chapters won't be spaced nearly as far apart, I can't guarantee my pre-vacation timing of approximately 2 chapters a week. Sharing a room is affording me little privacy except when she is at work. So please bear with me, but I promise to work as quickly as possible on the next chapter!**

**As always, reviews make me super happy and motivate me to work harder and quicker! Thanks to everyone who has been reading (whether you review or not)…it means the world to me!**

**Evelyn**


	10. Chapter 10

Daphne giggled so hard her sides ached in protest. "You are such a nerd!" She shrieked, swatting at the blonde head in her lap.

Cupping his hands around his best friend's swollen belly, Justin bellowed deeply, his voice muffled. "Luuuuuke, I am your father."

"If there is a girl in there, you are going to give her serious gender issues." Daphne laughed wildly before she thought of something else; her face breaking in to a wide grin. "What if Brian is the father? Shit! If you had told me when we were 17 that Brian Kinney could one day be my baby daddy, I would have punched you...or kissed you!"

Justin practically giggled before he turned back to Daphne's belly. "Leia, I could possibly be your father."

He was barely able to get the sentence out before the pair busted up laughing once again, gripping their sides that were aching in protest.

"We better be quiet or we're going to wake up the princess." Daphne exclaimed, trying to compose herself as she motioned towards the sleeping child that was spread out on her favorite fairy sleeping bag in front of the television. Suvi had finally passed out half an hour before after a rather boisterous round of Twister and hide-and-go-seek with Justin in which Daphne played referee.

"Seriously though, I can't believe we could find out the sex of the baby tomorrow." Justin's eyes lit up as he flattened his palm, covering almost the entire expanse of Daphne's swollen abdomen. She had started showing much earlier this time around, a rather pronounced bump resided in place of her usually flat stomach.

"Are we going to find out? You never told me." Daphne asked as she pulled herself up on to her elbows. The pair was lying on the floor, exhausted from entertaining Suvi all afternoon after she had managed to sneak in to the pantry and devour an entire bar of chocolate while Justin and Daphne had been discussing themes for the nursery after lunch.

"I want to know, but I'm not sure about Brian. I guess I'll have to ask him tonight, seeing as how I am running out of time. Your appointment is at 4pm, right?"

"Yep. Last appointment of the day since we have to make the drive to Allentown." Daphne confirmed. "You know, though, Brian will do whatever you want. He'd find out tomorrow or keep it a surprise if that is what you wanted."

Justin blushed. She was right. Brian would argue to get his way for many different reasons, but Justin knew this was largely his call. Finding out the sex of the baby tomorrow would make it all that much more real. On one hand he couldn't wait, it felt like the minutes effectively crawled by at a torturous pace; but on the other hand, he almost wished he could hide behind the uncertainty. He'd wanted to have a baby for as long as he could remember, but wanting and having were two totally different things. They were past the point of no return and if he was being completely honest with himself, it scared the hell out of him, the idea of taking on such an amazing task as having a child. Any fears that crossed his mind, however, never fully came to fruition because with each doubt he had, all he had to do was think of Brian and he would instantly start to feel better; calmer. Justin was confident that they would excel at fatherhood, even if Brian doubted his abilities. Justin believed in him enough for the both of them and that knowledge calmed both their fears.

As if on cue, the brunette called out from the kitchen as he shut the door to the garage. "Come congratulate me!" Brian made his way in to the living room where he found the duo still on the floor.

Neither attempted to move, only offering matching apologetic grins when he came in to view.

From where he lay, Justin managed to tilt his head enough to see the brunette, albeit upside down, he stated excitedly. "Congratulations!"

"You little shit." Brian tossed a throw pillow at the blonde's head. "You don't even know why you're congratulating me."

Justin shrugged, a wicked grin forming across his lips. "Just following orders, as I have been told I do so well."

"What are you two doing? And why are you so happy?" Brian questioned in feigned annoyance as he looked around the room. Various games were strewn across the floor and a half-finished puzzle lay atop the coffee table. Nothing about the scene before him reasoned their unusually cheerful mood.

"Nothing." Came their conjoined reply, causing them to fall in to another round of unrelenting giggles.

Brian narrowed his eyes. "Did you two get in to my stash?"

Justin's eyes grew wide. "Of course not. First of all, Daph is pregnant so she can't smoke pot and secondly, Suvi is right over there, sleeping."

"And?"

"Asshole." Daphne managed between her own laughter as Justin threw the pillow back at Brian, who caught it effortlessly. The blonde stuck his tongue out in frustration.

"Well, when you two are finished and have come back to the land of perceived adulthood, you can come see what I got. In the kitchen." Brian held back a grin as he sauntered out of the room.

Justin laboriously pulled himself up on to his knees with a loud groan. "The most expensive carpet he could find and my back still hurts like a bitch." He grumbled as he tried to stretch before standing up and extending his hands to Daphne as he helped pull her up to her feet. "Let's go see what he got. Hopefully this time it's something that can be used outside of the bedroom."

"Don't act like you don't love it when he goes shopping!" Daphne elbowed him lightly as she wiggled her eye brows suggestively. "Unpredictable doesn't even begin to cover it."

"Oh no, I love it, it's fucking hot. But I swear if he buys anymore of his toys, we'll need to add more storage space to the bedroom."

Daphne and Justin rounded the corner in to the kitchen, only to be greeted with a very large box with Brian standing in front of it, his arms spread to his sides; a triumphant smile gracing his face.

"What in the world?" Daphne asked as she approached the box timidly.

"Someone isn't, like, going to jump out of there, are they?" Justin asked. With all the unorthodox surprises Brian had sprung on him during the time they had been together, Justin wouldn't put anything past him at this point.

Brian rolled his eyes as he stepped behind the box and pushed it around to face the pair. "It's a play set for the kids, asshole."

The front of the box displayed what looked to be an extremely large structure with kids climbing, hanging, and swinging from various parts of it. It was big enough, even Gus would love it, but there was only one problem. "I hope there's a good-looking guy in that box that can put this monstrosity together because these hands are for drawing…and other various activities…not manual labor."

"Listen here, twat! I am perfectly capable of putting this together myself before Gus comes down at the end of the week." Brian grumbled leaning against the box.

"Really? Remember what happened when you and Lindsey tried to put together Gus's swing set before his first birthday?" Justin challenged with a smirk. "Linds almost broke her ass when she tried to test it out. Mel had to end up putting it together herself."

Brian couldn't help but laugh as he remembered the metal frame of the swing set collapsing in around Lindsey as she fell on her ass with a loud thud. At first she had tried to remain indignant when Brian laughed at her, but she was unable to maintain her sour mood when Gus had joined in with his father and the two laughed hysterically at his mother's expense.

"Be that as it may. I will have this finished before Gus gets here. You'll see." Brian demanded with a firm nod of his head as he glanced once more at the box in question.

"So, do you think maybe I should call and have an ambulance on standby or something?" Justin whispered to his best friend as they stared in awe out in to the backyard. It had been nearly two hours since Brian had come home and he was no closer to his goal than he was when he bought the set at the store. Standing in the middle of the yard, the entire contents of the box spread out meticulously around him, he rotated between grabbing random pieces off the ground and looking over the instructions. At one point, he had tried to put together the over-head beam for the swing set to a near disastrous outcome. "I could at least call Drew and see if he could come over and help."

"Are you kidding? If you send for reinforcements, the only need for the ambulance will be for you after he kicks your ass." Daphne whispered back, wincing when the long board that Brian had been holding slipped out of his grasp and landed on his foot. "You know he is determined to put it together himself and would just as soon dye his hair blonde rather than accept help."

"True." Justin relented. "Why are we whispering? The door is shut, he can't hear us."

"I know, it's just more fun this way."

"Well, at least I finally found it." Justin sighed heavily.

Daphne scrunched up her nose in confusion. "Found what?"

"The one thing Brian sucks at. One man can't possibly excel at everything. It's unnatural." The two burst out laughing until they heard shuffling behind them. Spinning around, the pair was greeted with a very sleepy toddler padding across the kitchen floor to where they stood; her favorite blanket dragging the ground behind her.

Suvi walked over to stand between them, her arm circling her mother's leg as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight. She watched Brian intently. "Mommy, what's Uncle Bri doing?"

"He's trying to preserve his dominance by proving his masculinity in the face of his own self-imposed doubts." Daphne replied automatically. Looking down to her daughter, Daphne smiled at the confused expression that clouded her young face. "He's building something so he can feel like a big boy."

"I help!" The girl exclaimed excitedly as she grabbed for the door knob.

Justin and Daphne lunged for the girl at the same time.

"No, we need to let Uncle Bri do this on his own. We'll be lucky if he comes out of this unscathed, we don't want you getting hurt on accident." Justin cautioned.

Suvi focused on the brunette who was obviously floundering in his quest. "I could help him make it all better."

Justin marveled at the girl's certainty. "I know you could."

Another 15 minutes passed as the trio watched from the confines of the house as Brian shifted pieces around but made little other headway. Eventually, Brian turned and stalked back towards the kitchen as the Justin and Daphne scrambled from behind the door. Daphne sat down at the kitchen table, grabbing a nearby magazine as Justin hurriedly pulled random food out of the fridge.

Suvi climbed up on a barstool and observed the grownups.

Brian made his way in through the French doors, stopping suddenly when he saw the two who looked vaguely suspicious. Daphne had her face buried in a magazine while Justin tossed food in to a skillet. If the blonde started whispering it would almost be comical. "Suvi, cover your ears for a second." Brian practically sang out as Suvi complied.

Brian looked back and forth between the two. "Fuckers!" He shook his head as he motioned for Suvi to uncover her ears.

"What did we do?" Justin asked incredulously.

"You were spying on me, weren't you? You've been watching me this whole time."

"We were not!"

"Really? Well, Daph, that magazine you are reading is upside down, and Justin, since when do you cook grapes in a skillet?" Brian pointed as the blonde looked down to see the green grapes he had tossed in the pan with the carrots and other vegetables.

Brian looked to the child. "Suvi, were they watching me?"

Suvi shook her head, happy to confirm her uncle's suspicions. She hoped down from the barstool and tugged on Brian's jeans. "Uncle Bri, I wanted to help but they wouldn't let me. We can make the biggest, most bestest swing set ever. Really we could."

Brian picked up the excited girl, not even attempting to hold back his own smile at her words of confidence. To her, he could do anything, and he wasn't about to prove her wrong. "I'll tell you what. When Gus gets here, the three of us will put it together." Brian said, his voice rising as he held the giggling girl above his head. "And you are right. It will be the biggest and bestest ever."

"Good evening, darling." Chrissy, the nurse they had been dealing with almost exclusively, greeted Daphne brightly when she had called them back from the waiting room.

Daphne surprised the older woman when she threw her arms around her in a quick hug. Chrissy reacted in tune, hugging the younger girl back with as much enthusiasm.

When the two pulled apart, Daphne's cheeks were a deeper shade of red. "Sorry, I'm just really excited and I was hoping you would be the one with us today." Daphne had instantly taken to the woman when they had first met at the clinic a couple months ago.

"Don't you apologize, dear. While I don't make a habit of hugging my patients, I will gladly make an exception for you." Chrissy exclaimed as she led the trio down the now-familiar hallway and in to one of the exam rooms. "How are you and the little one doing?"

Daphne's hands immediately went to her stomach, her face breaking in to an even bigger grin. "We're both great, thanks."

Chrissy turned her attention to the two men standing behind her as she motioned for Daphne to sit atop the exam table. "And how about you, boys? You look as though life's treating you kindly." She said with a wink.

Brian grinned as he took his usual seat beside the wall. "Can't complain. Though between work and this one," Brian pointed towards Justin, "I've little time to get in to any real trouble."

Justin rolled his eyes when the brunette leaned his head back against the wall, a large grin encompassing his face.

"We've been doing wonderful, Chrissy. Thanks for asking." Justin said, not missing how the nurse's breath caught slightly when he said her name. He figured that most patients that came through these doors hadn't bothered to learn, let alone remember, her name. That thought was rather upsetting. She clearly loved her job with a passion most people simply never found and whether her patients realized it or not, Chrissy treated every one of her patients with the utmost care and consideration. Justin made a mental note to try to find some way of letting the nurse know how much her presence and guidance has helped them during this rather stressful experience.

Chrissy flitted around the room, pulling the ultrasound machine towards the table as Daphne laid down. "Let's get started. Boys, you can go stand on the other side of the table if you'd like so you can see this beautiful baby of yours." Justin pulled Brian up from his seat as the two made their way to Daphne's side. Brian let Justin take the lead as the blonde reached for Daphne's hand. He remained content to simply stand behind his husband.

Chrissy sat down on a rolling stool as she waited for the equipment to come to life. "Still pulling double duty as you can see. Our regular ultrasound tech is still on maternity leave. Poor thing had a rough go in the beginning so she's taking a bit longer than planned. I don't mind it one bit, though. This is the part I missed the most once I became a full-time nurse." Turning the machine so everyone could see it, Chrissy waited for Daphne to pull her shirt up so she could apply the gel. "I hope you don't mind me saying, but you are just the cutest thing ever. All belly. My sister was the same way with all of her boys, bless her heart. Me, I think I would have taken after our mother and blew up all over. When my mom was pregnant with my sister she was damn hear as wide as she was tall."

Daphne blushed. "Thanks, but I feel like a whale. When I was pregnant with Suvi, I didn't get this big this soon."

"I see it all the time in women who are pregnant for the second time. Always seems to hit them quicker." Chrissy moved the wand around on Daphne's belly. The black and white blobs on the screen morphed in and out of each other.

The whooshing sound that they now knew to be the baby's heartbeat flooded the room. Justin tightened his grip on Daphne's hand as the two friends looked to each other, their smiles nearly equal in intensity. Brian placed his hand on the blonde's hip, leaning over his shoulder to get a better look at the monitor.

Brian had never gone with Lindsey to any of her appointments when she was pregnant with Gus. Besides the fact that she had Mel, the human bulldog, stationed right at her side at all times, if Brian was being honest, he simply hadn't cared to go. He had contributed all that had been asked of him so that was where he had left it. Getting the phone call when she had gone in to labor and subsequently seeing his son for the first time had jarred a part of him that had long since remained dormant.

Now, he was right in the thick of it. He really hadn't planned on becoming this involved in the pregnancy when they decided to go through with it. His job, as he saw it, was to deliver the goods in the beginning and then leave the rest to Daphne and his husband. Yet, as time progressed, he found himself attending appointments under the guise of simply being there for support for the two. Somewhere along the line, however, that sense of duty quickly transformed into genuine curiosity. He worked his schedule to allow him to attend the appointments and neither Justin nor Daphne ever questioned his presence, for which he was grateful.

Justin's hand on his thigh brought him out of his thoughts. When his focus returned, Brian realized that he was practically leaning his entire body on the smaller blonde, trying to get closer to the monitor. Any further and Justin would be lying across Daphne.

_The kid wasn't even born yet and he or she was already causing problems._

Daphne and Justin giggled softly. Chrissy smiled knowingly when Brian quickly straightened up, shooting a hard look at the two.

Though Brian would never admit to it, Chrissy could feel the shift under the brunette's embarrassment. Trying to steal the attention away from his faux pas, Chrissy spoke up. "Everything is looking wonderful, the baby's weight and height are right on track; actually towards the higher end of the spectrum which just means you've got yourself a very happy and healthy baby cooking away in there."

"The way these two eat, that doesn't surprise me." Brian replied under his breath. Justin reached around, smacking him lightly on his arm. "What? I have to keep landing multi-million dollar accounts just to keep you two fed."

Brian willed himself not to grin at the offended expression that came across his husband's face.

Brian kissed his nose lightly, pacifying the blonde.

"As of right now, this little one weighs approximately 2.8 ounces and is 4.6 inches long. Circumference of the head looks great as well." Chrissy announced, a proud grin breaking through. She continued, "You know what is really amazing? Right now, your baby can blink and already has fingerprints on those tiny little fingers and toes already."

"That is amazing!" Justin breathed out heavily, his voice catching. He turned around so he could see Brian. "Did you hear what she said? Our baby. I mean, I know it's our baby, I'm not a moron, but this is like really happening. We're going to have a baby and in a couple months we'll get to…" Justin was rambling, nearly out of breath; so Brian did the first logical thing he could think of.

He silenced him…with his lips.

He felt the blonde relax against him, nearly melting in to him; sighing when he broke away with a wide grin. "Sorry."

Brian smirked. "Anytime."

Justin's cheeks flamed as he turned back towards the two women who tried in vain to look away from the moment the two men were having. Chrissy cleared her throat as Daphne tightened her grip on Justin's hand. He brought their joined hands up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles lightly.

Moving the wand around on Daphne's belly, the swooshing noise and heartbeat grew loud and then quiet with each movement. "Have you decided if you want to find out the sex or not? The baby is in the perfect position to find out if that is what you wish to do."

Daphne looked to Justin as Justin turned partially back towards Brian, the silent question hanging heavy in the air. Brian knew that Justin wanted to know, not only so he could tackle the nursery for whatever whimsical designs were floating around in his blonde little head, but Brian also knew that this was one surprise Justin wouldn't be able to hold out on. Justin had a funny way when it came to surprises. He loved the initial thought of a surprise and what it took to pull them off, but he also hated not knowing. He was an impatient romantic, really.

Brian nodded his head as the blonde's features relaxed noticeably. Squeezing Daphne's hand in his own, once again, he turned back to the nurse. "Yes, we'd like to find out."

Chrissy moved the wand around as Brian found himself, once again, leaning against Justin to get a better view of the screen. His mind drifted back to Gus as he was just starting to realize exactly how much he really had missed out on in those first few years. He had worried that this baby would somehow make him feel differently towards his son, possibly more distant given the circumstances, but he was starting to believe that this baby might, in fact, change him more than he was prepared for.

Chrissy stilled her hand as the image focused. The heartbeat that filled the room seemed to grow even louder; though, Brian cautioned it was entirely likely that what he was hearing was in fact his own heartbeat hammering in his ears. Everyone in the room held their breath and leaned forward when Chrissy smiled brightly, pointing to the screen.

**A/N – Sorry for the wait, again, but my dad had to have surgery on Friday because one of his two main arteries in his neck was blocked 85% and the surgery was trying to prevent the possibility of him having a stroke and/or having to have a stint put in as a last resort. All is well and he is home resting, but that took precedence over the chapter unfortunately.**

**I hope you all aren't too mad with me about the cliffhanger, but I just couldn't resist. There is a method to my madness and if I revealed the sex of the baby in this chapter than it wouldn't work with what I have in mind for the next. Speaking of the next chapter, I already have a section of it done and hopefully what I am bringing in to the fold will make up for the lack of updates recently.**

**I must warn everyone, though, I start classes tomorrow for the quarter so I will be a bit busier, but I am hoping that working on this fic will be my escape and I will still get chapters out fairly quickly. Thanks again and please let me know what you think!**

**Evelyn**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N – Let's play a game with this chapter! There are 5 movie references hidden within the chapter (2 classics from the 80s, 1 stoner classic from the 90s, 1 Disney movie, and 1 movie Gale has been in)…some easier to spot than others! Let's see who can find the most!**

"So how did the appointment go?" Lindsey asked.

Everyone grew quiet; you could hear a pin drop at the formerly boisterous table.. On the way back from their appointment, Brian had called Debbie instructing her to round up the gang as they would all be dinning at the finest restaurant in town once the Munchers flew in. Lindsey and Mel would be arriving with the kids at the end of the week and their dinner was planned for the night they arrived. Childcare would be taken care of; this was to be an adult celebration: lots of alcohol and lots of food. Brian had told Debbie in no uncertain terms that everyone was to be there; no excuses.

As they sat towards the back of the dining room of Chez Luis, occupying the largest table in the restaurant, Brian couldn't help but feel particularly content as he scanned the round table. What was once their small rag-tag group of societal misfits had grown in to a much larger family that had long since branched out in many directions. It was getting harder and harder to come together in capacities such as this and Brian had to admit, he missed it. Sure he bitched about the mandatory Sunday dinners all those years ago, but it wasn't hard to see that once he and Justin broke rank and stopped going every week once they had moved, everyone started drifting apart. That sense of security, knowing they would always be there, was gone and Brian found that that idea didn't settle well with him.

Brian turned his attention back to the group who was staring at him and his husband expectantly. The individual conversations they had all been participating in had effectively been abandoned when Lindsey had finally broached the subject they were all dying to discuss.

Justin spoke up. "Well, we didn't actually speak with the doctor this time, but we did see Chrissy, the same nurse who has been with us from the beginning…Deb you would love her." Justin turned to Brian, winking conspiratorially before he continued. "We really should invite her down for dinner or a long weekend or something. She really has been great with us through all of this."

"That she has." Brian grinned. The others were becoming increasingly impatient as Justin skirted the topic at hand.

"Sunshine, the baby…what did they say?" Debbie attempted to redirect.

"Oh, the baby weighs 2.8 ounces and is 4.6 inches long." It was impossible to miss the way the blonde's eyes lit up every time he talked about the baby. When it looked as though Justin was going to continue, everyone leaned closer; their attention wrapped on his every word. "Can you believe the baby already has fingerprints?"

Debbie huffed out a loud breath, pointing her finger at the blonde accusingly. "If either one of you doesn't tell us if that baby is a boy or a girl, I will have your balls before this evening is through."

Brian feigned a look of ignorance. "Deb, we never said we actually found out what the sex is. What if we decided to keep it a surprise?"

Debbie smiled accusingly. "Do not mistake me for an idiot, because that could very well be the last mistake you ever make. If I was even inclined to believe that you actually didn't want to know, the look on all of your faces when you walked in was a dead giveaway. The three of you know and now you are just dicking around with us!" The redhead challenged.

Justin looked to Brian and then to Daphne who nodded her head. Bringing his attention back to their group, the blonde scanned the anxious faces that were fixated on him; his heart was beating rapidly in his chest almost as wildly as it had been at the clinic days earlier. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He wanted to shout their news from the tallest building in the city but for some reason, he was suddenly seemed incapable of forming coherent sentences.

Seeing his husband's unusual struggle with speech at this very inopportune moment, Brian couldn't help but grin at the irony. Snaking his arm around the blonde's shoulders he pulled him in to his side; without hesitation, he stepped in. "We're having a boy."

The noise that followed was indescribable and so loud, Brian's hands flew to cover his ears before he even registered the commotion. Debbie and Jennifer both squealed as the redhead pounded her hands on the table. She jumped out of her seat and ran around the table to envelope Brian, Justin, and Daphne in a tight hug; followed closely in succession by many of their other dining companions. This time, however, Brian didn't stop the congratulations with a cynical comment.

"Another grandson!" Jennifer cried out in wonder. One thing was for sure, what Gus lacked as far as grandparents went from his mothers' side he more than made up with Jennifer and Debbie. Their makeshift family was so intricately wound within itself that any and all children were treated equally. While not blood related, Gus, JR, and Suvi played and fought like siblings and were loved just as equally. Jennifer would take Suvi for what they called their "girl-bonding" days and when Gus and JR were in town if one went somewhere, they all went.

Brian had to admit that it was rather daunting at times when he thought of just how much his life had changed. When Linds had approached him to father her child over a decade ago, he never imagined that all those years later he would find himself manning a giant SUV while his husband and a backseat full of sticky-fingered, sugar-buzzing kids sang along to some inane children's song on the radio. Luckily, Gus had quickly grown out of that phase; the idea of children's song, now, made his skin crawl just about as much as it did his father. Brian liked the fact that he could at least count on one person to be on his side when the insanity kicked in.

"This is so exciting, we haven't had a little boy running around since Gus." Emmett practically cooed, his eyes glazing over.

"Well, there was Justin." Ted shot in, hiding his smirk behind his glass as he took a generous gulp.

"Ha ha, very funny." Justin lobbed a pouch of butter at the accountant, hitting him on his left cheek as the table erupted in laughter.

"I call dibs on babysitting." Molly spoke up practically bouncing in her seat. At 20 years old, the young woman had become much closer to her brother within the last few years. Having just completed her sophomore year of college, she had taken to alternating holiday breaks between her mother and Tucker's house and Justin and Brian's. She had her own room at Britin and had explained that she loved the freedom of not being under her mother's coddling when on break. Justin didn't care what her reasons were for wanting to stay with them, he was just glad that they had finally been able to be around each other without the threat of constant death. In their case, absence really did make the heart grow fonder.

"Honey, you've got college and that cute little boyfriend of yours to keep you busy." Emmett said. "I get first dibs."

"Hey!" Debbie exclaimed loudly.

Rolled his eyes dramatically. "Fine, first dibs behind the grandmas, heaven help me."

Molly scoffed. "You have your job and Drew to keep you busy, Em!"

"That's the beauty of owning your own business. My boss just so happens to love me. I can take a day off whenever I want. Which is exactly why you should focus on your school work and leave the little ones to me. Get that degree and then start your own business."

Brian's face screwed up before he started laughing. "Mol, I never thought these words would ever come out of my mouth, but you should listen to Emmett for once. Owning your own business does have its advantages."

Molly thought that over as the table grew quieter, everyone lost in their own thoughts before Mel spoke up. "Daph, have you felt the baby move yet?"

"Not yet, but Chrissy said I should start feeling him move any time now. I'll never forget the first time I felt Suvi move. It felt like a little bug was crawling up my belly." Daphne smiled.

"I remember that." Justin said, his face breaking out in to a giant smile. "Once you realized what it was, you practically climbed the back of the couch trying to get to me so I could feel it. For as pregnant as you were, you had no trouble moving so quickly."

"Have you guys thought of any names?" Cynthia asked from her spot beside Brian. Over the years, the blonde had become more and more entrenched in to the family fold. Not only had she known Brian since he was fresh out of college, but she had become close to Justin and Ted as well from working at Kinnetik.

Brian shook his head.

Justin sat up in his chair. "We haven't officially started talking, but of course I've been thinking of some myself."

"Well?" Hunter inquired after the blonde went quiet.

Justin shook his head. "I want to hear what everyone else thinks first. Any suggestions?"

"Jonathan?" Jennifer suggested.

Justin wrinkled his nose. "Too common."

"Flynn?" Hunter jumped in.

Daphne's eyes lit up. "Ohhh, like that guy from that Disney movie? He was hot for a cartoon." When she was met with odd looks, Daphne rolled her eyes. "I have a 3 year old. I've seen every Disney movie ever made and at this rate, a cartoon is the closest I'll get to a man. Don't judge me."

Justin looked to Brian who shrugged his shoulders. "That's not bad, I guess."

Hunter grinned, satisfied.

"What about Blaine?" Emmett asked.

Daphne and Justin looked to each other quickly before they stated loudly in unison. "That's a major appliance, that's not a name!" The two dissolved in to a giggling mess as the others moved on.

For a couple minutes everyone threw out name possibilities as Justin and Daphne worked at vetoing and accepting the suggestions. Brian remained largely quiet until he finally chimed in with his own suggestion. "Morrison?"

"I like it. Where did you come up with that?" Justin asked, leaning over to kiss his husband lightly.

Brian shrugged. "Saw it in a movie, once."

Justin finally spoke up. "I kind of like Milo. But only as a middle name."

"What about Jett? We all know how much Brian loves James Dean. Or Stark from Rebel Without A Cause." Michael said.

"Jett's pretty cool." Daphne nodded her head in approval.

"Ok, I have one more, but you all have to promise not to laugh. You promise?" Justin lowered his head as he looked around the table.

Brian snorted. "Fuck no!"

Justin elbowed the brunette in his side, rolling his eyes but decided to continue anyways. "I've always really liked the name Benji."

Brian couldn't contain his laughter and he found himself, oddly enough, joined by Ben.

Ben's hands flew up in defense. "I'm so sorry, Justin, but have you ever looked up the meaning of the name Benjamin? It is what Benji is derived from." Ben asked, trying to stop himself from giggling and further upsetting the blonde. He wasn't laughing at the suggestion itself, but the irony behind its meaning.

Justin looked around, confused. "No, I've never looked it up, why?"

"I almost thought you were joking at first when you said it. Benji, which is short for Benjamin, actually means 'Son of the right hand.'" Ben explained, blushing furiously. "I would know, it's kind of been with me my whole life."

Brian's face practically lit up. "I do believe we've found a winner, Sunshine."

Justin stared at the brunette. "You mean, you like the name?"

"Hell yeah. Especially now that I know what it means. What's more fitting than that. After all, I do my best work with my right hand." Brian stated loudly, chuckling when other patrons turned around to glare at the table in response to his flagrant remark.

"It is rather fitting." Daphne stated from behind her hand that was clamped over her mouth in an attempt to hold back her own laughter.

"That would be the understatement of the century." Drew spoke up, catching the brunette's gaze; a large smile forming within his pronounced features. Sitting between Emmett and Jennifer, the contrast between the three was particularly striking and rather comical.

Justin spoke above the hum of those around him. "Well, we definitely don't need to decide tonight, that is for sure." Sitting back in his chair, the blonde leaned in to his husband's side, relishing in the feel of the strong arm that enclosed around his shoulder, anchoring him in place. His hand fell to play with the hem on the inside of Brian's thigh as he absentmindedly kissed his neck softly as everyone returned to their various conversations.

They were interrupted, however, when their waitress returned. "How is everyone doing?" She asked, receiving random nods of approval as well as verbal thank yous. "Are we ready for desert yet, or would you like more time?"

She walked efficiently around the table, everyone giving their desert orders before resuming their previous conversations. As the young woman approached, Brian motioned for her. She leaned in closely, her cheeks burning. Between the expensive cologne Brian wore and the intensity he always seemed to carry with him, it was almost enough to make those unfamiliar with him a little heady when in close proximity to the man. "Make sure the check for the table is given to me. I don't care what anyone else says you give it to me, understand."

The woman stammered slightly as she stood back up. "Of course. Would you like anything for desert?"

Brian smiled in approval. "No thank you, I've got enough food to work off tonight as it is." He replied with a wink.

Pulling the blonde back to him, Brian contented himself to playfully biting at his ear, soft promises of what he fully planned on doing to him once they returned home floated between them. Justin actually snorted, his cheeks blazing red as he returned the sentiment, the two lost completely in each other until they were pulled back to reality when someone cleared their throat loudly.

"Should we just clear the table and let you both at it or are these seats adequate enough for you two?" Ted deadpanned, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at the dazed look the two men shared. "If we charged people to watch, we could make a nice little dent in the bill."

"Theodore, you're always looking for a way to save a buck, aren't you." Brian shot back.

Ted nodded. "That is what you pay me a ridiculous amount of money to do, after all."

"Don't forget it either. Blake, please tell me Theodore isn't always this exciting at home. His enthusiasm holds no bounds." Brian stated dryly.

"Contrary to popular belief, I happen to think he is very enthusiastic." Blake smiled brightly, lacing his fingers with Ted's.

Brian closed his eyes tightly, scrunching up his face. "The image…it won't go away."

"I think I recall a time when you once said to me 'You could only be so lucky.'" Ted openly laughed, safe in the notion that only Brian would understand the meaning.

Brian nodded his head slowly, allowing the discussion to drop peacefully.

Justin pulled away from Brian's side, sitting up straight in his seat. "You know, aside from a couple get-togethers recently, this is the first time in…almost a year, that we've all been together."

"Sunday dinners are a thing of the past, Sunshine." Debbie sighed heavily. She had come to terms with her familys new-found independence, but she still longed for those nights every week when they would gather around her tiny table in her even tinier kitchen.

Well in to their 30s, all her kids had still needed her and they certainly needed each other. Now, everyone was scattered.

"Yeah, I guess." Justin stated, dejected at the notion. Everyone looked around awkwardly, suddenly somber. "Moving out of the state didn't help." Justin declared meekly.

"Moving out of the country helped even less." Lindsey sadly confessed as Mel looped her arm around her shoulder, kissing her temple lightly.

Emmett smiled sadly, almost defeated as his eyes glazed over thinking about the past. "I guess we all finally grew up. It just took us longer than most." He loved his life with Drew and wouldn't trade a minute of it for anything. But sometimes he found himself longing for the days when he and Michael had lived together, or even when he had stayed with Debbie and Carl for a while. When their biggest concern was what to wear to Babylon or who was going to team up with whom for a game of pool at Woody's. When thoughts of work only pertained to seeing how much they could drink while still remaining functional the next day. Truthfully, they hadn't been to Babylon, as a group, in longer than he cared to elaborate on. It's like that quote from that movie about high school girls, _"I get older, they stay the same age."_ Every time they went to Babylon it seemed like the men got younger and younger when in fact, they were just getting older. It was enough of a blow to one's vanity to make any queen freak out.

The core of their group; four friends, two lesbians, one blonde would-be stalker and the matriarch that loved them all unconditionally, had spent nearly every day with each other for years. It was an easy habit to fall in to, and regrettably, an even easier habit to fall out of.

Brian made his decision. "This is bullshit." He said throwing the napkin that had been lying on his lap on to the table. "We're going to need help when this kid comes and I fully expect each and every one of you to lend a hand. And I refuse to send my kid off to someone he barely knows so starting immediately, Sunday dinners are back on the table. Our group is considerably larger now so we'll have it at Britin, Deb you will have full reign. I expect everyone to be there." Brian stated firmly looking around the table at the stunned faces that stared back at him.

"I think we're good to make it, right?" Jennifer asked turning towards her husband.

Tucker nodded. "We'll be there."

"No fair, college sucks." Molly pouted dramatically. "I guess I'll just have to come back during breaks."

"Oh and bring that cute little boyfriend of yours next time, what's his name again?" Emmett asked grinning wickedly.

"Joshua?"

Justin nodded his head. "Yeah, tell Josh that he…"

"Joshua" Molly corrected.

Justin rolled his eyes. "Whatever, tell Joshua he is more than welcome to come along." Molly beamed at her brother's invitation.

"We really should try to make it down more often." Lindsey pleaded with Mel.

"I know how much you want to move back, baby. Give it some time, maybe we can figure something out." Mel nodded, giving Lindsey just enough hope to be contented for the time being. She really hated being so far away from her family. Logically, moving away wasn't a terrible idea but Lindsey was the type of person who thrived on being around the ones she loved. The support system they had in Pittsburgh could never be matched anywhere else and with the kids getting older it was weighing more heavily on her mind than ever.

"I hate how Gus's birthday party turned out this year. I am never doing that again." Trekking back and forth between Canada and Pittsburgh for the major holidays had taken its toll so they had decided to have Gus's 10th birthday party at home. They had had a house full of Gus's friends from school and around the neighborhood, the table had been filled to capacity with gifts, but in the end only Brian, Justin and Debbie had been able to make the trip. Brian had even offered to pay traveling expenses for everyone but life and work had effectively gotten in the way. Even with all the excitement going on around them, Lindsey hadn't missed how Gus kept looking back to the front door, as if he was waiting for someone else to show up. They all saw the way the little boy's face fell when he would open his gifts from Emmett or Michael, offering his thanks politely as he quickly pressed on to the next gift.

"That was a disaster." Brian agreed. "Which is why, a month from now you all will do whatever you need to do to get out of work for a week. This is non-negotiable."

"What's in a month? And why an entire week?" Michael asked not really too concerned with the details, though he felt the need to clarify. Owning his own business meant he could dictate when he did and didn't work.

"A month from now we are going to give my son the birthday party he should have had in the first place. In Disney World." Brian's lips curled up when everyone went quiet. "You work out whatever the fuck you need to with your jobs and I will cover the rest. Ted, obviously you'll be fine. Cyn, would you be able to hold down the office? I'll pull Bradley up to help and I'll schedule any meetings for either before or after we get back."

"You got it." Cynthia shot her boss an assured nod. She was glad to see him taking some time off, even if it was under the guise of giving Gus the ultimate birthday party. She knew better, however. Brian was good, but not that good at hiding from her. She had known him almost as long as Michael and Lindsey. This was Brian's way of reconnecting with the only real family he had ever had, one that was slowly fracturing if someone didn't try to mend the cracks before it shattered all together.

Brian threw the woman a warm smile. She was definitely getting a raise.

"Anyone see any problems with making this happen?" He questioned.

Everyone started mumbling to each other and across the table. After a few minutes he was met with affirmative headshakes and audible agreements. With a little magic, everyone was determined to make this happen.

Everyone except…

Molly spoke up. "I'm sorry, but I'm already scheduled to take summer classes so I can graduate early. I wish I could go, though. Will you tell Gus I am sorry and give him a big hug and kiss for me?" Jennifer leaned over, hugging her to her side. She hated hearing the sadness in her daughter's voice.

"It's ok, Mol. He'll understand." Justin assured her.

Their deserts arrived soon after. Groans of appreciation could be heard as plates were passed around and forks and spoons speared in to the closest sugar confection that could be reached. Brian even managed to sneak in a bite or two from whatever Justin was sampling at the moment. Resigned to breaking one of his many long-since-broken rules, Brian had every intention of putting his blonde to work burning off all the calories he had consumed tonight with his favorite past time.

_And then some._

Noticing the shift in Debbie's mood almost instantly, Brian searched her pinched face for a clue as to what was wrong. Realizing Brian was watching her, the redhead tilted her chin indicating for Brian to look behind him.

Following the petite hostess to a table in the back corner of the restaurant, his hand placed on the back of a very pregnant blonde who looked to be not much older than his own husband, Brian hissed under his breath when he caught Craig Taylor's eye.

Craig stood next to the table, stunned, as the woman he was with sat down and the hostess waited awkwardly for him to do the same. He finally pulled himself together to take the offered chair as Brian turned back to the group at his lively table before anyone else noticed the distraction. He was fairly certain that, with the position of their table to Craig's, and his group's preoccupation with the many sweet dishes being passed around, no one else had noticed the older man whose eyes kept darting nervously between the woman he was with and the table Brian was sitting at. Debbie kept looking anxiously to Justin and then to Jennifer who leaning in to Tucker's side, laughing deeply as she wiped a bit of whipped cream off her husband's chin. Justin was talking animatedly about some mural he was painting in the nursery, smiling his larger than life smile whenever he glanced over at Brian, his hand resting comfortably on the inside of the brunette's knee under the table.

Weary of Debbie's growing agitation, Brian shook his head as she took the napkin off her lap and threw it on to her now-empty plate, pushing her chair back to get up. Though he knew she meant well, a confrontation between Debbie and Craig would only draw attention as well as ruin the mood for the rest of the evening. Motioning for her to stay seated, Brian leaned in to Justin, his lips at his ear. "I'll be right back. Gotta make a quick phone call."

Justin smiled brightly, his lips brushing softly against Brian's. "Don't be too long."

Brian cursed under his breath when he felt Justin's hand remove from his leg.

_Why the fuck did Craig Taylor, of all people, have to show up at the same restaurant?_

Excusing himself from the table, Debbie nodded gratefully as she started talking rather loudly about the latest gossip to hit the diner in order to keep everyone's attention from Brian's retreating form.

Brian noticed Craig sucking in a sharp breath when he saw him approaching, knowing he had no logical way out without causing a scene, he relented to hoping Brian would simply pass by without incidence.

_No such luck, fucker._

Dragging a chair from a nearby table, Brian pulled it up between Craig and his companion, straddling it as he picked up a roll, tossing a torn piece in to his mouth. "How's it going, pops?" Brian grinned as Craig shifted uncomfortably, throwing an apologetic grin to the woman across the table from him. "And who is this lovely young lady?"

Reaching his hand out, Brian kissed the top of the smaller woman's hand in his, noticing the furious blush that colored her pale cheeks.

Clearing his throat, Craig spoke quickly. "This is my wife, Cindy. Cindy, this is Brian Kinney…an old acquaintance."

Nodding, yet still not understanding the sudden tension that came with their unexpected guest, Cindy couldn't seem to take her eyes off of the handsome man.

"Now now, Craig, is that anyway to talk to your son-in-law? You did get the invitation, right? You must have been busy that day, I assume, but it looks like you've been busy a lot lately." Brian announced, purposefully eyeing the woman's swollen belly.

At the mention of her impending bundle of joy, the woman's eyes lit up. "Yes, we're due any day now, this is kind of our last hurrah before diaper duty." Running her hands over her belly, Brian recognized the gesture from seeing Daphne doing the same thing, sometimes without even realizing she was doing it. Must be some kind of weird, hormonal, sensory thing?

"Wait, did you say you were Craig's son-in-law? How is that possible, Molly isn't married?" The woman asked, confusion clouding her face.

Brian's eyes narrowed on the older man. "Didn't Craig here tell you, I'm married to his son. Or did that little piece of information never come up over dinner?"

Cindy lowered her voice, leaning across the table. "Craig, honey, I thought you said that Justin had moved away, married a girl from high school and was working for some big business in Minnesota?"

Craig squirmed in his chair; heat rising in to his cheeks as he stared down at the napkin he was twisting roughly through his fingers. Brian guessed he was trying to control his temper in front of his impressionable new wife.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But no, his son is not off living the happy hetero life he has painted for you. In fact, his son is right over there; the nauseatingly happy blonde with his back to you." Brian pointed out as Cindy leaned around him to see the large group, loudly laughing; randomly clinking their glasses together.

The woman's face twisted angrily in a way that surprised Brian in its severity. Her hands balled into fists. "You mean, our son's brother has been in town this whole time. Were you ever going to tell me? How could you lie about something like that?"

"Well, you see. Father Taylor, here, never liked the idea of his son being particularly fond of the male persuasion, so he remedied that problem in a timely fashion after the boy came out when he was 17." Brian said, enjoying watching the man squirm in barely masked agitation. "But I am happy to report that a bashing, coma, and even a bomb couldn't hold that boy down, thanks in no part to your charming husband. He has become rather successful with his art over the years, a profession that your husband never agreed with. But, because of his enormous talent, Justin will never have to worry about having to wait tables to make ends meet."

Cindy's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes watering. "Bashing…bombs…he was in a coma?" She whispered to no one in particular.

Brian shook his head in confirmation. "You see, you two could have been over there with us, celebrating the impending arrival of our son," Brian looked back to Craig pointedly. "The fact that your son is about to become a father – for the second time, really." Brian corrected as he returned his attention to Cindy. "I have a 10 year old, myself. He was actually born the night I met Justin. Long story…interesting outcome, I've got to say." Brian smiled fondly at the many memories that always flooded his senses when he thought back to that fateful night. "Unfortunately your husband has a way of letting his ignorance and hate cloud his actions. Other than the one time when he refused to pay his son's college tuition and, oh yeah, when he had him arrested for standing up for his rights as a gay individual, he hasn't spoken to his son in nearly a decade."

Cindy gasped at the onslaught of information she was receiving at the hands of this total stranger. "Craig, is this true?"

Craig's eyes lit up in defiance. "Honey, this man…"

Brian leaned forward menacingly, his voice dropping. "I'd be careful what you say, Taylor. I've got an entire table full of people who have seen you in action. The list really does go on: Verbal abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, abandonment. Congratulations Cindy, you really picked a winner." Brian growled, his eyes never leaving the older man's, the polite facade quickly slipping.

The vein in Craig's forehead looked as though it might pop at any minute. "That's enough. I'm going to ask you to leave before I get security involved."

"No problem." Brian pushed away from the table before he looked back to the stunned woman with a warm smile. "I noticed you said you were having a son. Please feel free to contact me or my husband at any time, as I know Justin would love to be a part of his brother's life." Glancing back to Craig, Brian added. "But be careful. Your husband seems to have no problem kicking his children to the curb for something that they can't change no more than he can change the color of their eyes."

Brian could tell that Craig was trying to quell his anger, both in public as well as in front of his wife. Brian smiled, satisfied, as he recognized the look in Cindy's eye. Craig was going to have a lot to answer for when they were ensconced back in the privacy of their home, there was no doubt in his mind.

"I trust that if we are still here when you leave, you will respect our right to dine in peace and leave without causing any problems?" Both men knew this wasn't a request.

"As you have respected mine?" Craig shot back.

"I think under the circumstances after everything you have done to Justin, I have been more than respectful to you. Much more than you deserve." Brian challenged in a low whisper. "If you feel the inclination to congratulate your son, by all means, please do so because I know how much your flagrant disregard for him has hurt him over the years and any sort of peace offering would be appreciated with time. But do not make the mistake of causing a scene because I will deal with you myself. You will not ruin this day for my husband and our family." Smiling curtly to the older man, Brian turned to leave but was stopped when a small hand gently grasped his forearm.

"There will be no scenes, Mr. Kinney, I personally give you my word." Cindy cut a glance to her husband before she smiled softly to the man that had just turned much of her world upside down. "I do hope we meet again as I would like to get to know you and your husband…you are family, after all." Cindy replied, silently challenging her husband to refute her statement.

For as young as she was, Brian was impressed with her resolution in standing up to her husband. Nodding in reply, Brian turned once more and headed back to his table. He could feel Debbie's eyes on him as he sat down, but he turned his attention to Justin. Slipping his arm around the younger man's shoulders, he pulled him back to capture his lips in reassurance…of what he still wasn't sure. Justin had no clue that anything was remiss and Brian was grateful. Locking eyes with Debbie, she smiled affectionately before returning to the conversation.

Slipping to his own thoughts, Brian let the rest of his group carry on enthusiastically as he let his husband's beaming smile ease the tension in his body as his hand found it's place on the brunette's thigh once again. He rubbed circles on the denim absentmindedly, an action that Brian found, oddly enough, soothing.

The group conversed for another 30 minutes before everyone started leaving one by one after Brian had threatened bodily harm to any who even attempted to pay the bill. Jennifer, Tucker and Molly were the first to go as Brian breathed out heavily knowing they hadn't been unfortunate enough to have noticed Craig. Cynthia and then Ted and Blake followed not long after with Drew and Emmett close at their heels. Michael, Ben and Hunter stuck around long enough to collect the ever-talkative Debbie after she had forced Justin and Daphne to agree to allowing her to take them shopping now that we knew the sex of the baby.

Lindsey and Mel were the only ones left as they would be returning to Britin with them. The pair chatted animatedly with Daphne, comparing notes on their experiences being pregnant while Brian and Justin remained as close to each other as possible, neither speaking.

Brian glared at them. "I'm glad my food has had time to settle. Can you not think of something better to talk about?"

Suddenly, Daphne clutched her stomach, her eyes growing wide. "Oh my god, give me your hand." She reached quickly for Justin, pulling him so he was sitting beside her, his hand pressed to her belly. Mel and Lindsey actually squealed as the flocked over just the same, pressing their hands on her belly as well. "Can you feel it?"

Justin's face grew serious as he focused all his attention on his hand, but he felt nothing. "I don't feel anything."

Daphne's face dropped a little as she moved his hand slightly to the left and pressed on his hand firmly. "Right there. Can you feel that?"

Justin's eyes lit up, his back going rigid as he froze. "Yes! I felt it. It feels like little bubbles."

Mel and Lindsey took turns kissing Justin and then Daphne on their cheeks before Lindsey approached Brian and grabbed for his hand. "You have to feel this."

Brian pulled his hand away quickly, backing up slightly away from his starry-eyed best friend. "Fuck that!" Was all he said.

Lindsey swatted at his arm. "Are you still hung up on that? You would never feel when Gus kicked, but I thought for sure you would have softened since then."

Brian only shook his head, grateful when another voice broke through the awkward scene. He looked up, surprised to see Cindy standing close by, her eyes focused largely on Justin who by now had both his hands cupped around Daphne's belly, oblivious to the woman's presence.

Cindy slowly approached Daphne. "I'm sorry to intrude, but I couldn't help overhearing; congratulations." Cindy sheepishly added as she placed her hands on her own swollen belly. "From one almost-mom to the next."

Daphne smiled at the woman who looked to be around her age. "Thanks, congratulations to you too. But I actually already have another one. This one is kind of just on loan." Daphne laughed as she rubbed her belly.

Noticing the woman's confusion she clarified. "I have a daughter, she's 3. This one belongs to my two best friends." Daphne motioned towards Justin and Brian. "Obviously, they lack the proper equipment for the job so here I am."

Justin helped Daphne stand before he motioned for Brian to join them. He was pleased when the woman seemed unphased by Daphne's statement. He wondered if he would ever stop waiting for strangers reactions when they found out he was gay; he also wondered if he would ever stop caring one way or the other.

Brian came to stand beside Justin as Lindsey motioned that they would be waiting in the car outside. Justin extended his hand to the woman who slowly accepted it. "My name is Justin Kinney, this is my best friend, Daphne, and my husband Brian." Daphne offered her hand first before Brian grasped the woman's hand for the second time that night.

"It's nice to meet you." He stated diplomatically.

"My name is Cindy." She stated simply. Before Justin could inquire in to her last name, Daphne jumped in.

"How far along are you? Do you know what you are having?"

Cindy smiled. "9 months. A Boy."

Justin's face lit up. "No way! Well, I mean, it can go only one of two ways, but we're having a boy as well." Justin instinctively laced his fingers with Brian's.

Brian could tell the blonde was two seconds from literally bouncing on the balls of his feet. Cindy was definitely getting the full-on Justin-Taylor-experience that was for sure. Once again, Brian was amazed at the woman's assertiveness. He could see it in her eyes. She was curious about the man who was her son-in-law. There was no malice behind her eyes; she simply wanted to make some sort of connection even if Justin had no clue as to her true intentions for coming over.

Cindy smiled once more as she took to the blonde in front of her. Her face fell, briefly, as the full impact of her husband's actions hit her. She knew without a doubt that Justin was not a mean-spirited person, he seemed truly happy and if truth be told, she had been watching him and his dinner companions periodically once Brian had left them. He was happy and content, more so than most people she's known all her life. He was so at ease with himself and everyone around him that it bespoke his young age in a way she understood completely. Was her husband really capable of so carelessly disregarding his son because of who he happened to love?

Pulling herself back to the present, Cindy looked once more to her son-in-law before catching the brunette's eye. "I must be going now, but I just wanted to offer my congratulation, I hope you all have a wonderful life." She said sincerely.

Justin and Daphne offered their own congratulations and goodbyes before they resumed their previous conversation completely unaware of the flash of sadness that crossed the woman's eyes. She nodded solemnly to Brian before she walked back to where Craig was sitting impatiently, having watched the entire exchange uncomfortably. Brian was too far away to hear what she said but the determined set in her shoulders was unmistakable. The look of panic that crossed Craig's face was just as telling. Cindy was not going to let this go without a fight.

**A/N – So how many references did you find? I don't want to spoil anything so if you really want to know, comment or send me a PM and I will tell you what they are. I like to pepper my chapters with little things here and there, but for whatever reason, the references kept coming in this chapter. Again, sorry for the wait between chapters but I am happy to report that my dad is doing wonderfully and his surgery went perfectly. Thanks so much to those who expressed concern and/or shot any positive thoughts our way! I am a firm believer in the power of positive thinking! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it is the longest of all the chapters BY FAR. In fact it is almost the length of the first few chapters combined, haha! A lot happened in this chapter that will pull us in to what I am considering the second half of the story. Please let me know what you think and if you have any ideas or suggestions. I already have a tentative name picked out for the baby, but any suggestions are welcomed because I am not above switching things up if I find something else I like even better!**

**Evelyn**


	12. Chapter 12

"Come in." Brian called out at the soft knock that sounded on the door. The heavy mahogany door creaked slowly open. When he looked up after a silent moment, Gus was smiling timidly back at him, his head poking around the door shyly. "What's up Sonny Boy?"

The door opened fully, though Brian didn't catch the way the boy's eyes rolled at the nickname. At 10 years old, that nickname was starting to wear thin with the boy. Gus entered the room slowly, it was by no means his first time being in his dad's home office, but the room felt too much like ticking time clocks and oversized calendars.

He made his way over to the desk, fiddling with one of the dozens of identical pens that stood lamely in a leather covered holder. The boy flopped down in the chair facing his father. Brian peered over the top of the contract he was reading as his son picked up the framed picture that sat atop his desk.

Gus ran his fingers along the perimeter of the frame, the corners of his mouth twitched as he studied the picture. It was one of his favorites. His dad hated getting his picture taken, which explained the lacking photographic representation of the brunette around the house. There were countless pictures of Justin, Daphne, Suvi, and himself from over the years, even a few of various other family members that Justin had put out as well. Yet, there were less than a handful of his dad.

Posing for stuffy pictures was too obnoxious for the brunette, but he hadn't been able to escape a few scenarios that were usually perpetrated by his traitorous husband and equally traitorous son.

This picture, however, the one that his son held almost reverently in his hands was special. It wasn't taken on a particularly meaningful day, a Tuesday evening if Brian recalled. He had come home from work earlier than normal and had decided to lay out by the pool before they had decided to enclose the space. Daphne and Justin were in the pool with Suvi trying to teach her how to swim, with Gus' expert demonstrations as Brian let the young girl's squealing wash over him un-phased. The weather was gorgeous and the pool was bathed in deep shades of red as the sun was in its final descent.

_The heat from the summer day was almost enough to lull Brian to sleep as he stretched his toes and settled in further, until he felt a wet heaviness flop down on to his stomach. Opening his eyes he was greeted by his son's ecstatic face. "Dad, you really have to come in the pool, it's so much fun."_

_Brian didn't miss the devilish glint in his son's eyes as the boy fiddled with something behind his back. Before he could question his son any further, Justin unceremoniously plopped down beside him on the rather large chaise lounge they had bought not long after moving in. Luckily the chair was made out of water resistant material; the beads of water pouring off his soaked husband were only a minor annoyance as it hit his hot skin. He turned his attention back to the boy who was perched impatiently on his stomach._

"_Sorry Sonny Boy, I think I'll sit this one out." He said as he patted his son's leg reassuringly. The boy's face fell slightly._

_Justin jumped in. "Come on, Brian. It will be fun."_

"_Nope."_

"_You've never refused to swim with me before?" The blonde pouted._

"_There was never an audience and children present, either." Brian countered._

_Justin leaned in, whispering in Brian's ear. "If we wear the children out swimming then the pool will be all ours."_

_Brian gave the idea some thought as the blonde's warm breath washed over his neck, mixing in a dangerous way with the droplets that fell from his wet hair. Brian was too lost in the moment to notice his son's shifting movement until a bright light flashed with an audible pop in his face. The two older men snapped out of their daze to look at the grinning boy, clutching the digital camera in his hands._

"_What the…" Brian started, blinking away the multicolored spots that danced in his head before the blonde clamped his hand over his mouth._

_Justin cleared his throat loudly._

_Gus shrugged his shoulders innocently. _

"_Gus…" Brian warned._

"_I know, I know dad. One more? Just the three of us?" Brian squinted his eyes as he looked over to Justin who beamed back at him. He knew he certainly couldn't count on the blonde to help him out._

_With a dramatic sigh, he relented. "Only one, no matter how it turns out. Deal?"_

_Gus nodded his head firmly. "Deal!"_

_Gus let out an excited yelp as he flipped over so he was lying half on Brian and half on Justin. He wiggled his way between them enough to be comfortable, looking first to Justin and then to Brian. He extended his hands above them, pointing the camera in their direction._

_He only had one shot at this; he needed to make it count. "Dad, you have to smile." A long finger poked in to the side of his stomach as he scooted closer to Justin. "Say cheese!"_

"_Cheese!" Justin replied in unison with the boy. Brian remained silent. Just when Gus was about to divert his attention, the same fingers attacked his sides with much more fervor than before. Giggling wildly, Gus jumped in surprise; his finger triggering the camera as the light once again blinded the brunette._

_Gus sat up quickly. "Hey, that wasn't fair." Turning the camera over in his hands the younger brunette reviewed the pictures._

A year later, the picture of the three sat proudly on his father's desk. The fact that it was slightly blurred only made the picture all the better. His dad's mischievous smile was captured perfectly; Gus's head was thrown back in laughter as Justin looked happily at the two beside him. They were all sun-soaked and wet, the perfect lazy summer evening.

It was the only picture of the three of them together but that was ok.

Gus still hadn't said anything since he'd sat down; he just kept staring at the picture. His eyes lost.

Brian cleared his throat. "Gus?"

"Sorry, dad."

"Did you need something?"

Gus set the picture back in its proper place, his hands coming to rest nervously in his lap. "I know you are working…when you are in your office that means you're doing important stuff, but I was just wondering if maybe we could go and do something today." Gus raised his eyes to meet his father's gaze. "If you're not too busy?"

"Sonny Boy, I would love to be anywhere but here right now. Doing anything with you. But if I don't get this done for my meeting tomorrow, these clients will walk…along with all the money in their bank accounts." Brian sighed heavily.

Gus nodded his head slowly, his lips pursing in thought. Brian grinned when he noticed the action. It was something the boy had picked up from Justin, without a doubt.

Brian straightened up in his chair. "I tried to clear a lot of the work for when you came down but this was unavoidable."

Gus shrugged his shoulders. He'd heard this excuse before. "It's ok, dad."

Brian nodded solemnly. "I'll make it up to you."

"You always do." Gus grumbled as he pulled himself from the chair, trudging heavily to the door. With one final look back into the room, the boy shut the door softly.

[]o[]o[]o[]o[]o[]o[]

Thirty minutes later, Justin was making his way to the studio when he stopped abruptly. Gus was inside. Deep in to the room, surrounded by the amber rays of the setting son, Gus stood in front of the easel as he stood back to study his creation. He was wrapped in a white paint-splattered smock that Justin had bought for him years ago, his right hand clutched one of the nearly-empty vegetable cans that Justin had taken recycling, preferring this approach to using palettes where the paint tended to become clumpy before drying out. Multiple cans were laid out before him, each filled with a different color as he wiped at his forehead, leaving a streak of maroon in its wake.

Justin noticed the tense set of his shoulders as he contemplated his next move, dipping the paintbrush into the brown water, wiping it vigorously on his smock before dipping in to the bright orange can. His strokes were long and quick, almost hasty as the boy tilted his head to the side in order to view his subject in a new light.

Justin could hear Suvi approaching, but before he could stop her, she sped past him in a flash. "Gus!" She squealed happily, stopping at his side and observing his actions.

Justin ducked back behind the wall so as not to be seen, stopping Daphne as she quickly rushed after her daughter. He silently shook his head as the two peered back around the door. "Why can't I go in?" She whispered.

"I want to see what they do when they are alone." Justin nodded in to the room.

Suvi's high-pitched voice rang sharply in the cavernous room. "Gus, can I paint, too?"

The boy looked around the room. Usually Justin was with him when they painted. He wasn't sure what to do with the small girl when there weren't any adults around. He spotted his old plastic easel that Suvi now used; a large pad of paper was fastened to the board instead of canvas. He pulled the easel over beside his and located her yellow raincoat that he had seen her paint in before. Helping her pull on the coat, he made quick work of fastening the buckles before plopping the cap down over her wild curls.

"Just don't make too much of a mess. I'm not above blaming a child." Gus replied with a weak grin as he handed her a small brush, motioning to the cans of paint before he returned to his own work.

"That went well." Daphne breathed out as the two continued to watch the pair in the room.

To be honest, Justin had worried that Gus would have easily dismissed the girl. "He's definitely upset, but I don't think it has anything to do with Suvi."

Daphne scrunched up her nose. "How can you tell? Did he say something to you?"

Justin shook his head, keeping his voice low. "He didn't have to. Look at his painting." Justin pointed towards the canvas. "It's predominantly done in shades of red, which in this case seems to signify anger. All of those reds, the maroons, oranges, even a little bit of yellow… plus the way he's painting, the strokes are heavy handed and uncontrolled. The paint is thickly applied, almost haphazardly. He's mad about something. But see in the corner, there's a little patch of blue? He's hopeful but guarded about whatever is bothering him." Justin finished, his head leaning against the door frame as he continued to study the boy.

"You got all of that, from that?" Daphne asked, her eyes growing wide. "Ok, Mr. PIFA. If you are so good, then what does Suvi's painting mean?"

They both looked to the girl who was using her brush to splatter paint on her paper as she kept looking to see what Gus was doing. "It means she wants to make a mess."

They both laughed. "She does think it's the most rebellious thing in the world to get paint on herself." Daphne rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well, I've seen similar painting sell for millions…that looked like they were painted by a 3 year old. Maybe we'll all get lucky and we could all retire early and let Suvi take care of us." Justin grinned.

"Don't get my hopes up, Warhol." Daphne looked back to Gus who seemed lost in his own little world. "So what are you going to do about Gus? If he's upset about something shouldn't you talk to him, or tell Brian?"

"Gus is very complicated when it comes to his emotions. Unfortunately he is like his father in that sense. He becomes very contemplative when he's upset about something, I'll give him some time…maybe he's just missing his moms?"

Daphne's eyes lit up. "I've got an idea." She exclaimed as she grabbed Justin's arm and drug him behind her in to the room. Gus and Suvi turned around quickly when they heard the adults approaching. "Sorry to interrupt your flow, or whatever goes on with you artsy types." Daphne winked conspiratorially at Gus. "But how does everyone feel about an ice cream party tonight?"

Suvi let out a loud yelp as she started jumping up and down at the prospect of copious amounts of sugar being ingested in to her tiny body. Gus shrugged his shoulders but he couldn't quite hide the grin that was forming.

Daphne walked over between the two. "Gus, how about you go with me to the store and we will pick out as many different flavors as you like."

"Mommy, I want to go." Suvi whined expectantly.

Daphne could feel Gus tense slightly beside her. "Baby, how about you help Uncle Juss clean up in here and then you both can go track down all those sprinkles and candies that Uncle Bri hid from the last party we had."

Suvi leaned around her mother to whisper to Gus. "Uncle Bri said candy and sprinkles were filled with cards and would make my teeth fall out."

"Cards?" Gus asked.

"Carbs." Justin corrected with a laugh. Justin reached in to his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Once he found what he was looking for he handed the plastic card over to Daphne. "Get whatever you want."

"Anything?" Gus asked skeptically as he removed his smock. Justin pointed to the bit of paint still on his forehead as the boy quickly cleaned it off with a wet rag he had been using.

Daphne looked at the card, her face breaking out in to a wide smile. "You can get anything you want, my man, because your dear old dad is footing the bill." Daphne practically sang as she ushered the boy out of the studio.

[]o[]o[]o[]o[]o[]o[]

Forty-Five minutes later, Daphne and Gus arrived back home; their arms full of sugary goodness. Gus emptied the bags in his arms on to the table and silently started putting the treats away. Justin eyed the boy, noting his quiet demeanor. He had hoped that getting out of the house without his dads or Suvi would have gone a little ways towards boosting his spirits.

Justin pulled Daphne aside when Gus made his way in to the den to watch TV; Suvi close on his heels chattering away. "Well, any luck? Did he say anything about why he's upset?"

Daphne shook her head. "If memory serves correct that boy is fluent in the language of grownups-couldn't-possibly-understand-shit. I should have kept a running tally of how many times he sighed dramatically when I asked him a question."

Justin frowned. "Damn. I thought maybe you could get something out of him. Between all of us, you are definitely Switzerland in this equation. He didn't say anything?"

"Nope, he was practically a mute. Though he did seem to really enjoy the freedom of buying whatever ice cream he wanted. That kid's face lit up when we hit the freezer section at the store."

"I'll take him out tomorrow while Brian is at work; maybe I can get something out of him." Justin pondered the thought when Suvi came running in to the kitchen.

"Ice cream party, ice cream party." The girl yelled, bouncing across the floor.

Daphne scrunched her nose. "I should have thought this through a little better. Do we really want to put sugar in to that already-hyper little monster?"

Justin laughed as he scooped up the squirming girl. "Can't back out now. She knows where you sleep."

Justin moved the girl to his shoulders and entered the den. "Come on Gus, there's what looks to be a dozen different ice cream flavors in the freezer with your name on it. I can only hold this one back so long if you want first dibs." Justin smiled wickedly when Suvi started to protest and squirm against his hold.

Gus stood up from where he had been laying on the couch, a small smile tugging at his lips. He made his way past Justin, turning around just before they were at the kitchen, his smile faded. "Is dad coming?" He asked quietly.

Justin heart dropped. It all made sense now. Justin placed Suvi back on her feet as the two stared at him expectantly. "Since we can't lure you dad out of the office, how about we bring the party to him."

Gus's eyes lit up. "Really? He hates ice cream."

"Nahhh, he just says that and then steals bites of everyone else's when they aren't looking."

Suvi nodded her head in agreement. "He really does. He steals mine all the time."

"Let's get this show on the road." Justin exclaimed loudly as he led the kids back in to the kitchen where Daphne was setting all the ice cream and toppings on the counter along with deep bowls and large spoons. "Change of plans, Daph. We're going mobile."

Justin handed Gus and Suvi as much as their arms could carry before he and Daph grabbed the rest. The four made their way slowly and carefully down the hallway. Justin used the tip of his shoe to knock on the door, causing Suvi to giggle loudly when he almost toppled over. Brian's voice called them in but he didn't look up immediately when they all entered.

"Uncle Bri." Suvi implored with a stomp of her foot causing the brunette to finally look up from the papers he was studying.

Brian didn't know how to respond to the four people in front of him who seemed to be carrying their weight in ice cream and various other utensils, bowls, and toppings. "What the fu…what's going on?" He asked cautiously.

"Well immediately my arms are freezing off from all this ice cream so I would suggest moving anything that could get ruined so I can put these down." Brian continued to stare for a minute before quickly clearing his desk before the blonde dropped the thawing containers down on to the cherry wood surface. Justin continued, "We're having an ice cream party and since you refuse to join the land of the living, we're bringing it to you." When Brian's eyes met his own, Justin motioned towards Gus with an expectant expression as Brian looked to the boy, whose eyes were so hopeful.

"Ok, but I really only have a couple minutes." Brian relented as hands grabbed for containers, spoons and bowls. "I really do have to finish this pitch, though."

Suvi climbed up and sat on the edge of the table. "I want that kind." She said as she pointed to the mint chocolate chip. Daphne began dropping spoon-fulls in to her daughter's bowl as the girl grabbed for the butterscotch and rainbow sprinkles.

"Are you sure? That might not taste the greatest." Daphne asked but relented when Suvi nodded her head seriously.

Gus hung back for a few minutes, watching everyone around him carefully, but most of all he watched his dad. He looked almost stunned at all the commotion that had descended upon his quiet office. Not upset, but he wasn't happy. Gus knew that Justin had arranged all of this for him, because he knew he wanted to see his dad, but now he just felt guilty for disturbing him. His dad was always busy with work. He should be used to this by now. When his dad comes up to their house in Canada he doesn't have to work, other than the occasional call he'd have to take, but visiting down here was a different story entirely. He knew this…so why did it bother him so much all of a sudden?

"What kind do you want, Gus?" Justin asked, spoon at the ready.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Ummmm, actually I think I might eat some later, I'm kind of tired." Placing his bowl down on the desk, Gus made a quick exit as the three adults looked after him; matching looks of confusion coloring their faces. The boy lived for sweets. In that sense he was so much like Justin it was almost scary. He'd never refused ice cream before. And since when did he voluntarily go to bed? He was a master at bed-time evasion tactics.

"I thought for sure this would have done the trick." Daphne sighed heavily, leaning against the desk in defeat. Her plan had officially crashed and burned.

"What's going on?" Brian asked, sneaking a spoonful of Suvi's colorful concoction from her bowl and in to his mouth, much to the little girls dismay.

Justin looked at him incredulously. "Were we not looking at the same kid? Gus is upset about something but he won't talk. Did he say anything to you? I thought for sure he just wanted to spend some time with you which is why we brought everything in here."

Brian shook his head. "He came in a couple hours ago wanting to do something but I explained to him I was too busy. I told him I would make it up to him and he left. He didn't say anything to me."

"Something is bothering him." Justin's lips pursed as he continued to stare at the door the boy had exited from, as if the answer would magically appear.

"Look, I really have to get this campaign ready for tomorrow's meeting, but when I get home tomorrow, I will talk to him first thing, ok?"

Justin waved his hand absently as he began collecting the remnants of their failed attempt. "I want to take him somewhere tomorrow, but I'm not sure where to go. It has to be something he really likes."

"What about the raceway? He always likes going there when he visits." Brian asked as he looked over one of the numerous boards that were stacked beside his desk.

Justin leapt towards his husband, kissing his cheek and nearly spilling the contents of his arms in to the brunette's lap. "That's perfect! I don't care what anyone says, you really are a genius."

Brian laughed at Justin's burst of excitement before frowning. "Wait…who's saying what about me not being a genius?" He called after the blonde who was already heading back towards the kitchen with his arms full of ice cream containers.

When he didn't get a reply, Brian looked to Daphne who stood beside Suvi, picking at a thread on her shirt that was stretched over her extended belly. Suvi was so consumed with her desert she hadn't paid a bit of attention to what the grownups had been discussing. When Brian silently questioned Daphne about his husband's comment, she simply shrugged her shoulders. Perching her daughter on her hip, she, too, made a hasty retreat.

[]o[]o[]o[]o[]o[]o[]

Was there a single moment in which children realized they didn't have to wake up with the sun, in favor of relishing in the joys of sleeping in? Or was this something that happened gradually? Last summer Brian and Justin had to implement the rule that if the sun wasn't up, Gus shouldn't be either. Waking up at ungodly hours, the boy busied himself in his room with his vast collection of toy cars and motorcycles until the first rays of sunlight hit his carpet; at which point he was down the hall banging on his dads' door. Minutes later, Justin would trudge out of the room, blindly steering the child towards the kitchen in search of food and the day would begin with Brian following minutes later; heading straight for the coffee machine in search of liquid energy. This summer however, if left undisturbed, Gus would sleep long past the rising sun, heading further towards the afternoon.

At this particular moment, Justin found himself gently shaking the boy in an attempt to wake him. "Gus. Wake up." Justin said quietly, not wanting to startle the boy.

Gus grumbled unintelligibly and turned on to his side.

Justin raised his voice a little, trying to break through the barrier between sleep and consciousness. "Gus!"

A low snore escaped the tiny brunette's mouth.

Justin couldn't help but laugh. More and more Gus was turning in to a mini version of his father. Brian was often the first one to get up in the morning as he got ready to head in to work, but on the random days when he was allotted the chance to sleep in, he was practically dead to the world.

Justin pursed his lips as he thought about how he could best rouse the kid when an idea came to him. He bent down to the boys upturned ear, invoking two of his favorite words. "Motor Raceway."

The boy's eyes flew open as he tried to rub the sleep away and looked to the blonde expectantly. "What?"

"I knew that would wake you up." Justin laughed loudly.

Gus groaned in annoyance, covering his eyes against the sun. "That was an evil trick."

Justin smiled. "Who said it was a trick?"

"It's like you are talking in code." The boy mumbled as he pulled the pillow from behind his head and onto his face. He continued talking but all Justin could hear was murmurs.

Justin grabbed for the pillow but Gus held tight. After a brief battle of wills, Justin proved victorious as he pulled the pillow away from the boy's face. "The longer you lay in bed the less time you'll have behind the wheel." Justin shrugged, rising from the bed.

Gus jumped from under the covers, practically attaching himself to Justin's back as the blonde headed for the door. "Are you serious? We're going to go to Motor Raceway?" Gus asked excitedly as he disengaged himself from Justin, his feet hitting the thick carpet with a thud.

"Your dad has to work and I sent Daph and Suvi with Grandma Jen for the day so it's just you and me. Thought you might want to get out of the house for a little bit." Justin nodded. "You can even drive this time."

The boy's eyes lit up. "No way! Dad never lets me drive. He says it's because I could get hurt but I know that's not why he won't let me drive."

"We both know why." Justin agreed.

Gus smiled. "Because he wants to drive himself."

Justin rubbed his hands together conspiratorially. "Well, he won't be around to hog the wheel this time, and what he doesn't know won't hurt him, will it?"

Gus threw himself at Justin. Gus was less and less comfortable with showing affection to his parents in public, but he still managed to have his moments when there wasn't an audience. "You sure dad won't get mad?"

Justin shook his head. "I'm not going to tell him, are you?"

In truth, Justin had already talked to Brian that morning before he left for work. Brian reluctantly agreed that Gus was older and mature enough to drive the go carts himself, but they both agreed that, at least initially, he needed one of the instructors with him to get him used to the machine. The tracks were lined with tires stacked higher than the go-carts themselves and with how wide and low to the ground they were, it would take a lot to actually over-turn one.

All of this was unknown to the boy, however. It was kind of fun to let him believe the two were defying his father a little. Let him revel in this small act of rebellion.

Justin cupped the boy's neck affectionately before heading towards the door. "Hurry up and get dressed. We'll grab something to snack on, on the way there, and then we'll get pizza for lunch."

Fifteen minutes later they were pulling out of the driveway, granola bars in hand as they made their way in to town. Gus didn't complain when Justin informed him that he would be driving, initially, with an instructor, and once Gus had made it around the venue on his own a few times, Justin hopped in the passenger seat. Gus played hard to remain serious and focused while trying to prove his driving abilities to Justin, but he did let a few giggles break through when he couldn't contain his excitement any longer.

When Gus's growling stomach could be heard over the roaring motor, Justin insisted they take a break for lunch, having to practically dislodge the boy from the go-cart himself. The indoor area had, among other amenities, a pizza shop that they particularly liked. They had the best calzones in the area. They ordered a large combination pizza with lots of breadsticks, marinara sauce and pop to feed a small army, and found a free table that looked like it was made out of old tires with a glass top; the chairs were made out of smaller tires and were held together with welded tire-irons. The smell of gas and various other fumes hung low in the air, not the best mix when eating, but Justin figured it was all a part of the experience.

"So, you having fun?" Justin asked as they each grabbed for a slice of pizza.

Gus shook his head enthusiastically as he took first a bite of pizza and then chewed off a piece of saucy breadstick. "This has been the best day ever. Wait until I tell everyone at school, they are going to flip out."

Justin was more than happy with that answer. He smiled brightly. "Good, I'm glad you're having a good time." Now he was going in for the kill. "I noticed you've seemed a little upset since you got here. Anything you want to talk about?"

Justin tried to keep it light, slurping loudly on his straw as he leaned back in his chair not wanting to lean forward and appear anxious.

Gus tensed slightly, shrugging his shoulders. Suddenly his food became the most interesting thing in the world. "Not really."

Justin's eyes narrowed. "You know, you can tell me. I won't tell your dad if you ask me not to."

And that was the truth. He wanted Gus to feel like he could confide in him without the fear of Justin running to Brian if he didn't want Brian to know. As long as Gus wasn't in any danger, Justin would never break his confidence.

"Does it have anything to do with the baby, or Suvi?"

Gus dropped his head slightly, swirling the end of an uneaten breadstick in the red-sauce bowl. "It's not that, not really." Gus slouched back in his chair. Justin had thought that maybe outside of the confines of the house, and in a public area, maybe Gus would feel more comfortable talking to him. Without the fear of being interrupted or listened in on. Now he wasn't so sure this was the best idea.

He kept his eyes low but started talking. "It's not that I hate Suvi; she's not so bad. Not as annoying as Jenny. But it kind of sucks when she's around my dad. I know it sounds mean but she just gets right up in there…" Gus looked like he was struggling for the right thing to say.

Justin took a stab at it. "In ways that you can't?"

Gus nodded his head. Suvi didn't think twice when she would climb in to Brian's lap while they were watching TV, or when she sat on his desk last night during the ice cream party. She had an ease with him that Gus felt he'd never had.

Justin saw where this was heading. "It's hard seeing Suvi so close to your dad, isn't it?"

He felt ashamed that he felt that way, but he couldn't deny it. He nodded his head slowly.

Justin sat forward, leaning his elbows on the table. "Gus look at me." He pleaded softly. Gus complied. "Suvi is young, we can give her that much. And this is going to sound really unfair because it is something that you could never control, but your dad is different than he was when you were Suvi's age. Don't get me wrong, he loved you more than anyone, and still does…" Justin made sure Gus understood what he was saying before he continued, "but when you were Suvi's age, he was still learning how to be a father. Of course, he isn't Suvi's father, but your dad and I are the closest thing she's got to a father. You lucked out, you got two moms and two dads, but Suvi only has her mom. That's why we try to help out as much as we can, yeah?"

Gus nodded.

"But Suvi entered the game during a time when your dad was a little more comfortable, so she's kind of gotten the better end of the deal in a lot of ways." Justin laughed knowingly.

"Tell me about it." Gus rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide his smile.

Justin continued. "Suvi, nor this new baby, will change how anyone feels about you."

Gus nodded once more but seemed to relax a little. He remained silent for a little bit and Justin decided not to push the issue any further unless Gus continued.

They ate in a comfortable silence. Once they had somehow managed to finish all the food, they threw their trash away and headed back towards the track.

Just before they reached the entrance, Gus stopped. "Do you think my dad will be around tonight?"

Brian worked such sporadic hours that Justin had stopped keeping track years ago. He had grown used to the fact that on any given day Brian could come home at lunch time, while other days he might not get home until hours after dinner. Justin was a grown man and had long since stopped complaining because he knew how important Kinnetik was to his husband. That didn't stop him, however, from wishing he was better able to control his hours when Gus visited. It bothered him and he could only imagine how it made Gus feel.

"I would say if everything goes well with his meeting, which I am sure it will, he'll be home fairly early." Justin surmised, hoping he wasn't setting the boy up for disappointment if Brian didn't make it home until late.

Gus's eyes lit up. Much like his father, his eyes spoke louder than anything he could ever say verbally. "Do you think maybe before I go back home he can come with us back here and watch me drive?"

Justin was both inspired and saddened at how much that simple request hung in the air like lead.

"Gus, we will get your dad back here before you leave, if I have to take the battery out of his car myself. But I have a feeling it won't take much convincing. I know it may not seem like it, but your dad really hates how much he misses when you are here."

Gus shrugged his shoulders before walking through the gate and on to the mat that surrounded the track. "I guess."

Justin leaned against the gate that separated the two areas and watched as Gus talked to the instructor briefly, pulling on the mini suit he had picked out and then his helmet. He walked towards the go-cart but just before he climbed in, he turned around, tugging the helmet up so he could talk freely.

"Wanna race? Trash duty for a week says I can beat you." His eyes flared under the note of competition.

Justin smiled. Yep, totally like his father. "You're on!"

[]o[]o[]o[]o[]o[]o[]

Brian made it home just as everyone was sitting down to dinner. Gus regaled the group with the day's events; making sure to repeatedly mention how he had easily beat Justin in their race, though Justin swore he let the boy win. Knowing Justin's pension for driving right at, if not under the speed limit, it didn't surprise Brian that his daredevil son had beat his husband in a race.

Once dinner was done and the kitchen was cleaned up, everyone congregated in to the den to watch TV while Brian looked over some of his notes on the couch. The meeting had gone better than was expected but there were still some areas that needed tightened up before the campaign could go national.

Justin silently watched as Gus stole glances every now and then to his father before the two locked eyes and the boy shrugged his shoulders once again. At this point he was just thankful that he wasn't holed up in his office.

Sometime later, after Daphne and Suvi had left to go home and Gus had gone to bed, Brian unlocked the liquor cabinet to celebrate Kinnetik's new account. Flopping down on to the couch beside Justin, Brian made sure he didn't spill any of the Beam in his glass. Propping his bare feet on the coffee table, Brian rested his head on Justin's shoulder, nuzzling into the blonde's neck. "It seems like you and Gus had a good day, judging by the number of times the word "totally awesome" was used."

"It was really fun." Justin giggled as Brian nudged his nose at the sensitive spot behind his ear. "Next time, you should come with us."

"Believe me, Sunshine, I would have rather been with you and Gus today rather than confined to listening to the ridiculously inane ramblings of yet another ancient fossil telling me how to do my job when they obviously came to me for the sole reason that I do my job better than anyone else." Brian sighed heavily, slowly emptying the contents of his glass, letting the dark liquor slide comfortingly down the back of his throat. Drawing air threw his teeth, Brian loved the burn that always chased the liquid.

"I know you would, but Gus is really missing you. He's been here almost two weeks and you've been practically shut away in your office every moment you've been home."

Brian rolled his eyes. "Christ, it's not that bad."

Justin shifted, causing Brian's head to lull for a moment before he set up straight. Justin swung his leg around, straddling Brian's lap; his hands resting on the brunette's shoulders. "If you're not eating, sleeping, or taking a piss, you are in your office."

"Hey!" Brian took offense. "Don't forget, dear, that I've managed to fuck you senseless on a regular basis. I never see you complaining then. Would you rather I use that time elsewhere?"

Justin pushed back gently. "Actually, after seeing how upset Gus has been lately, I would."

Brian wasn't expecting that answer; he fumbled for a response. "It doesn't really matter anyways, because Gus is always asleep when we fuck."

"All I'm saying is that Gus is really missing you. I know you are busy with work, but can't you delegate a little more the few weeks he's down here?" Justin lightly brushed his nose against Brian's.

Brian scrubbed his face with his hand. "I do have the next few days off for the weekend."

"Then make it count, spend every waking moment with your son. He knows you love him, but sometimes it's harder to remember at his age."

"I told him yesterday that I would make it up to him."

"Like you always do?" Justin accused, crossing his hands over his chest.

Brian's hands came down roughly on the blonde's thighs on either side of his lap. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Your version of making things up to him usually involves some large, expensive gift."

"Excuse my gross error in judgment. I must have forgotten that 10 year old boys absolutely hate getting the very toys that they beg their parents to buy them."

Justin rolled his eyes. "That's not what I am saying. Yeah, Gus loved the soccer set you bought him…but don't you think he would have rather had you there to play with him, even if all he had was an old ratty soccer ball and not a top of the line netting system and regulation equipment?"

Brian remained silent.

Justin's hand found its place in the thick hair at the base of Brian's neck. "Kids love gifts just as much as the rest of us, but at the end of the day he wants you more than your money."

Brian thought over the blonde's proposed dilemma with a smile. Grabbing Justin's ass firmly, he pulled him against his chest and captured his mouth. "Sunshine…you really are too smart for your own good."

Brian removed the blonde from his lap and stood up, stretching his tired muscles and hoping he was up for what he had in mind. This could turn out to be a very long night. He grabbed Justin's hand and led him up the stairs and in to their bedroom. Quickly divesting himself of his clothing, Justin was confused when Brian walked in to their closet and came back out a few minutes later, not in his pajamas, though he rarely wore clothes to bed regardless. Instead he was wearing a warn pair of jeans and an equally warn hoodie that looked suspiciously college-esque.

"The Art Institute of Pittsburgh?" Justin nearly squeaked.

"So?"

"That is where you went to college? At an Arts college?" After all these years, Justin couldn't believe it.

"Looks that way." Brian said as he pulled on a pair of boots. "Has one of the best advertising programs in the country."

"You never told me?" Justin's eyes widened.

Brian smiled sweetly. "You never asked."

With a quick kiss to the blonde's lips, Brian stood up from the bed and walked out of the room.

Justin followed close behind. "Where are you going dressed like that?"

Brian looked hot, that was for sure, but it would be hard to name a time when he wasn't. Something about seeing him dressed so casually, and not even in his usual top-unbuttoned jeans and tank, was both new and oddly enough, thrilling. But this was not his standard clubbing outfit; hell, this wasn't even his standard grocery store outfit. This was just…different.

Brian poked his head in to Gus's room and spotted the boy sound asleep, curled up in the middle of his large bed, burrowed deep under the covers. He turned back to Justin, whispering. "I'm making every moment count."

Justin didn't follow Brian in to the room, but chose to hang back and observe from afar.

Brian walked slowly to the bed, his whole body gave off vibes of uncertainty, but his shoulders were set. He was on a mission. Lightly, he reached down; running his fingers lightly through the boy's hair for a moment, before he gently shook his shoulders. "Gus."

Gus squirmed somewhat before he opened his eyes sleepily.

"Dad?" He asked, confused.

Brian shook his head.

Gus groaned. "What is with everyone in this house and waking me up?"

Brian acted as though this was nothing new and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, the problem is, I've got a play set out back that I promised Suvi I would build but I'm kind of having a hard time. I could use some help." Even in the darkness of the room, Justin could see Brian biting down on his lower lip to keep from smiling.

"What about Justin? Can't he help you?" Gus rolled on to his stomach with a pronounced sigh.

Brian looked back to Justin and winked. "He could, but he kind of sucks at building things."

That made the boy laugh. "You really want to do this now?"

Brian remained casual in tone. "All the snacks and caffeine you can handle for one night only. I figured, maybe we could get it done and surprise Suvi in the morning. I've got the whole weekend off, so if the weather holds out, maybe we can do a little camping or something."

Gus stared up at his father incredulously. "Dad, you hate camping."

"True, but this will be camping Kinney style. Plus, the house is only like 10 feet away. No self-respecting man can go without a clean bathroom for that long."

This caused the boy to laugh even louder. "Dad, you're such a queen sometimes."

At that, Justin couldn't remain silently hidden any longer as he busted out laughing. Brian grabbed one of the pillows from Gus's bed and threw it at the blonde. Justin dodged the pillow and decided to take the cue and head down to the kitchen. He didn't think he would be able to get much sleep with Brian and Gus both outside most, if not all, of the night, so he set to task gathering snacks and drinks for the two.

Ten minutes later Gus and Brian came down stairs, dressed and ready to tackle the play set. Brian drove his old jeep that he had kept and had repaired all those years ago, and turned the lights on so they could see what they were doing. With the promise to keep the music low, Brian let Gus pick out whatever radio station he wanted and the two set off to work.

Justin made a pot of coffee and enough hot chocolate to sustain a small battalion and settled in to a chair at the kitchen table where he could easily see out in to the back yard. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he contented himself to watching Brian and Gus as they slowly but surely put the play set together. They argued over proper placement of random parts and laughed wildly when they inevitably realized they had both been wrong.

At some point, Justin had fallen asleep at the table, only to be woken up sometime after the sun had come up, by a beaming Gus who insisted that Justin had to see the finished product. The boy grabbed his hand and propelled him to his feet, dragging him out the French doors towards an equally pleased brunette.

"What do you think, Sunshine?" Brian asked, failing to mask his excitement at finally conquering the beast before them. The play set looked sturdy enough.

"Looks great." Justin smiled brightly. "But I'm not going to be the one to test it out, that's for sure."

Before Brian could respond, his shirt was sharply tugged towards the ground; catching him off balance and nearly causing him to fall over. He looked down towards the offender only to find Suvi, still in her pajamas; hands on her hips and ten shades of pissed off. "Uncle Bri, you said that I could help you and Gus."

Daphne was soon approaching, clutching her belly as she padded barefoot towards them. "She saw the play set as soon as I sat her down for cereal and took off." Daphne warned.

Brian crouched down to the girl's level. "I know I said that, but Gus and I wanted to surprise you with it when you woke up so you could spend all day playing on it."

Suvi looked at him, assessing his statement before looked over to Gus.

Gus nodded his head, a sheepish grin forming. "Surprise."

Suvi's face lit up as she launched herself at Gus.

Daphne laughed when all three of the boys yawned in unison. "Have you all been up all night long?"

Brian and Gus slowly nodded.

Justin spoke up. "I think I got 10 minutes at the kitchen table. After so long, coffee just stops working."

Suvi had ahold of Gus's hand and was swinging it between the two. Gus held their hands still to get the girl's attention. "If you let me go get some sleep, I'll play with you later on, ok? You get first run at it so you'll have to tell me what sucks."

Suvi took off towards the monstrosity but Brian caught her before she reached the swings. "What do you say we do some camping tonight, all of us?" He asked as he held the giggling girl high above his head.

Daphne looked around. "At 5 months pregnant, this girl is not sleeping on the ground."

Justin shook his head in agreement. "I think I should probably keep her company."

Brian shook his head at his traitorous companions as he settled Suvi back down to the ground as she took off for the swings. He looked back to Gus. "And you said I was the queen. Looks like it's just us, then."

Gus yawned once more. "Need sleep."

Brian pulled Justin back against his chest as the two followed the boy towards the house.

Maybe it was delirium from lack of sleep, or maybe it was simply because he couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun with his son, but Brian felt like he was flying. He had intended to not say anything for a while, but his mood was simply too good to keep the surprise any longer as he called after his son. "Got any plans the last week you're down here?"

Gus stopped to think for a moment before he shook his head. "No."

Brian made sure he spoke loud enough for Suvi to hear him. "Good, because we're all going to Disney World in exactly 2 weeks."

Gus's smile rivaled that of Justin's in that moment, but the boy remained silent. He looked first to Brian and then to Justin, all sporting matching sleepy grins, before he nodded and ran up the stairs. He waited until he was in the privacy of his own room, behind closed doors, before he jumped up and down and did a little dance before jumping head-first under the covers. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

**A/N – I feel like all I am doing anymore is making excuses but I do apologize for the amount of time between chapters. My uncle passed away a couple weeks ago and with the quarter starting things have been pretty chaotic around here. But for those who sent their best wishes my way, I am happy to report that my dad is doing wonderfully after his surgery. But I am hoping that this chapter, and how long it is, might go a little ways towards making up for it, lol!**

**I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with my other story; Vacation of a Lifetime, but that is actually where this all came about. My initial thought was simply what it would be like if the whole gang went to Disney World, at which point I came up with Suvi (who might actually be my favorite character), and then just kept thinking of moments within this little core family that I wanted to expand on that soon became this story…so here I am.**

**At this point in this story, this is when the two converge. The next chapter I do will be wrapping up Vacation of a Lifetime and then after that, this story will pick back up. You don't HAVE to read VoaL (you won't miss anything too important) but just think of it as a short companion story, to this, that might be fun. The next chapter of this story will lightly touch on their Disney trip but for anything more detailed you'll have to read VoaL.**

**I also want to say that VoaL is somewhat of a crossover story, just in that it includes some characters from another show I loved, Life Unexpected, simply because Britt Robertson (Lux, LU) and Gale are both in Secret Circle, now, and I thought the two coming together would be fun. The other characters really just act as secondary charris to bring in a little fresh blood. No harm, no foul, hopefully!**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter…the next one will really start pushing the story towards the end as everything starts to come together. Feedback is always loved and the last chapter was fun with the little game attached. I might have to do that again soon!**

**Evelyn**


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